


Of Time

by Sparkleypegs



Category: Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Reylo - Fandom, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars The Force Awakens, star wars the last jedi
Genre: 1876, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Fusion, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angry Kylo Ren, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Dominant Kylo Ren, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Force Bond (Star Wars), Ghosts, Kissing, Kylo Ren Angst, Kylo Ren Has Issues, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren Redemption, Kylo Ren and Rey Are Not Related, Love, Mild Language, Neck Kissing, POV Rey (Star Wars), Protective Kylo Ren, Reality Bending, Rey Kenobi, Rey Needs A Hug, Romantic Fluff, Star Wars - Freeform, Star Wars References, Time Travel, True Love, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-19 17:17:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14878025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparkleypegs/pseuds/Sparkleypegs
Summary: Rey Kenobi finds herself homeless and poor in San Francisco when she decides to move in to the abandoned Victorian style house next door. Strange things begin to happen and Rey is not sure if she is losing her mind or living in the most haunted house in San Francisco, and who is the tall dark man that glares at her from the painting in the old house? Little does she know that her whole world is about to be turned completely upside down.





	1. Chapter 1

Some people believe that old souls inhabit new bodies, that no one is ever really gone. Some souls feel an eternal connection so deep, that neither death or time can prevent them from reuniting. 

Rey checked her mail again, as she did every day. She had heard the letters slip through the slot in the door and flap quietly onto the floor in the entrance to the old house she rented. She picked up the three envelopes and mumbled to herself, "Bill ... bill ... junk." She frowned sadly, same shit, different day, she lamented. Rey had been submitting manuscripts to various and sundry publishers for the last five years and had received nothing but rejection back. 

Her grand plan to take the literary world by storm after her father had died five years ago had come to nothing and now she found herself, twenty five years old, owing rent on a run down house and rapidly running out of the savings her father had left her on his demise. She liked the old house in San Francisco she was currently living in. It and the old home next door looked to be of similar age, probably late 1800's Victorian. The two old homes appeared to be joined together and the house next door intrigued Rey.

It looked thoroughly abandoned, and Rey had never seen anyone leave or enter the old place. Years of grime on the exterior made it look so dark and run down. The old paint, cracked and crazed and peeling with time, showed the remnants of the colours the house had originally been painted. Sky blue, caramel and fawn. Rey liked to imagine the fancy looking Victorian mansion as it must have looked back in its hey day. All clean and bright and shining out gloriously in the street.

But now it stood, a tall dark hulk of a house. A partially collapsed upstairs verander looked out over the street. The windows were like tired, shadowy eyes, sleeping eternal behind heavy old curtains, grey with dust and age. Rey wondered how long it had been since the rooms inside had seen daylight.

There was a sudden, harsh rap at the door that made Rey jump in fright. She instinctively ducked down as she saw the shadow of a person swaying through the lead light panels of the old fashioned front door, "Rey Kenobi!" She heard the voice of her landlord through the door and she held her breath as though he may be able to hear her breathing. "The rent Miss Kenobi, I need it paid by this afternoon ... its been three months. You can't avoid me for ever."

There was a pause as he waited for a response but received none. The figure wavered a little before steadying and beginning to speak again, "I will be back at five pm today Miss Kenobi. If you do not have the back rent by then I am afraid I will have to evict you today. I'm sorry, but this has gone on far too long." Another pause, and then Rey saw the shadow move away from the door. She waited until she heard the car door shut and the engine of her land lords car start up before exhaling in relief. It was only a very temporary relief. By tonight she would be homeless and there was nothing she could do to change that. 

If only she had sold one book, if only. But it was not to be, and now her world was about to come crashing down on her. All she owned was an old laptop, a broken smart phone, and sundry items of clothing, and many, many debts. At this stage she was using her savings just to buy food and meagre food at that, as that was all she could afford now. She would be sad to have to leave this old place. She liked its creaky floorboards and faded flocked wall paper. It had a certain musty old smell that very old, neglected homes get. A smell of times gone by and forgotten. 

Rey really only occupied three rooms in the large old home. Her bedroom, the kitchen and the old bathroom. The rest of the old rooms the landlord was using to store old furniture and boxes and boxes of unknown items. She felt a certain amount of guilt over the situation with the rent. Her landlord was a kind and patient man, and the only reason he had allowed the rent issue to go on so long was due to that kindness. 

But there was nothing Rey could do about it, much as she would have liked to. It was 1pm and she wasn't even sure what she would do when 5pm rolled around and she would be forced out into the street. She entered the kitchen on the ground floor and put on the kettle. A cup of black tea would calm her nerves. English breakfast, the only kind of tea she liked. She opened up her laptop on the kitchen table while she waited for the kettle to boil, checking her emails for the fourth time that day, or was it the twenty fourth time? 

Rey was tired. Tired of struggling, tired of waiting for something to happen, tired of trying to make something happen when nothing ever did, and now things had spiraled to the point of no return. She sipped her hot, milky tea and closed her eyes. At least the tea gave her a little comfort as it washed over her tongue, soothing her fears and calming her nerves. Finishing her tea she crossed her arms in front of her on the table. She laid her head on her arms and pushed the open laptop away from her. The only way this would all go away was if she went to sleep, and that was what she did.

Rey woke with a start hearing the rapping on the front door. In a panic she sat bolt upright, blinking. Trying to comprehend what was going on. Voices, calling, yelling her name. "Miss Kenobi! We are coming in, I have the police with me!" It was now after 5pm. Rey panicked, grabbing her laptop and snapping it shut, she looked around the old kitchen for an escape route and as she looked at the old stove she noticed that flush against the floor was a small door, old and wooden. Strange she had never seen it before.

It must have been used to push wood or coal through for the old oven. She wondered why she had never noticed the little door before, she felt sure she should remember it, but she did not. In any case she figured she should be able to fit through it, so she scrambled onto the floor and opened the tiny door with a creak of its rusty old hinges. She peered into the doorway. It was dark but not pitch black. It looked like another kitchen on the other side. This was the kitchen of the old house next door.

The floor was a large black and white check tile pattern, and while it looked dark and gloomy, it offered a glimmer of hope as she heard keys rattling in the lock of her front door. She wriggled into the little doorway, pushing her laptop through first and dragging her body through the small hole. The wooden door closing behind her as her front door opened and her landlord and two police officers spilled into the hallway.

She lay motionless on the dust covered kitchen floor, listening to the voices and footsteps through the wall, and waiting for them to go away. As she lay on the floor in the gloom, her eyes began to adjust to the dim light. She looked at the ornately carved legs on the big wooden kitchen table in front of her, at the chair legs in the same style, all neatly pushed in as though waiting for someone to come and used them.

Rey began peering around the room, slowly lifting herself so she was sitting up on the dusty old floor. There was a large kitchen dresser and side board, filled with old fashioned china. Some of which had dislodged from its original placing and had smashed long ago on the floor. 

There were various large silver serving platters, and trays, soup tureens and sundry other items of the like. Rey wondered if the rest of the house was the same. The sounds of the landlord and the police had died away and she heard the front door slam shut as they left and once again she breathed a sigh of relief, but now she also felt a certain amount of elation. She was finally inside the mysterious old house next door and she was keen to see what the rest of the place was like. She climbed to her feet, and tried to brush the copious amount of dust off her clothes, coughing a little as it got stuck in her throat.

Judging by the way the outside was so run down she realised she should tread carefully on the floorboards of this rickety old house. She crept towards the closed kitchen door and reached for the old door knob, twisting it slowly, hearing it scrape and squeal slightly and half expecting it to come off in her hand. It held and the door opened. She gingerly peered out into the oppressive gloom. She could make out door ways and a passage. She scrabbled in her pocket for her broken mobile phone. At least it was still useful as a flash light. 

The torch beam reached into the gloom, the dust particles lighting up and swirling through the light as Rey crept forward. Coming out of the short passage she looked up and found herself next to a grand stair case, a large entry hall and looking forward she saw the solid old front doors. A huge crystal chandelier hung down from the high ceiling and some of the crystals were on the floor having fallen free over the years. There were paintings askew on the walls. The aged wallpaper had a delicate green ivy pattern and some had peeled away and had curled around itself revealing the plaster walls underneath.

Large Persian carpets stretched the floors and the curtains covering the windows were heavy, dark velvet. Maroon coloured under the thick layer of dust. The sashes were thick ropes with large tassels. Rey thought how beautiful they must have looked back in the day. This place had somehow survived the 1906 earthquake and the fires that raged for 4 days afterwards and whoever had lived here had clearly been well-to-do. It was as though the owners had just closed up the place and walked out, never to return. Leaving the old home like an 1800's time capsule. 

Step by careful step Rey climbed the imposing stair case up to the second floor. The old wooden stairs under the ornate carpet creaked a little, but seemed sturdy enough. Going to the left of the landing, she saw a row of doors, all closed. She wondered if the state of each room would mirror what she had already seen. Paused in time. Sure enough, room after room was a veritable trip back in time. All in a state of decay but untouched for probably more than 100 years. It was amazing. Rey was stunned and amazed. That something like this could still exist was pretty much a miracle. 

In one bedroom there was a ladies dressing table, complete with hair brushes, perfume bottles and various makeups and mirrors. All laid out neatly as though someone could come back and use all these wonderful objects. As Rey carefully studied the fascinating items she heard a sound like a hand plonking down on a piano keyboard. It was faint, but she had definitely heard it. Her head flicked towards the bedroom door on hearing it. Someone was in the house!

She stood frozen, just staring, unmoving, waiting for more sounds but hearing nothing. She quietly made her way back down the impressive staircase and looked through a corridor at the front of the house, shining her torch phone into the darkness. A piano! She saw it in the room at the end of the passage. Towards it she crept. The only sounds she could hear were her feet shuffling on the dusty carpets, her own ragged breathing, and the occasional car zooming past the road out front.

She entered the large space. It was a music room, beautifully furnished and boasting a magnificent black lacquered grand piano. But when she looked at it she saw the lid was down over the keys. She ran a finger across the lid removing a thick layer of dust. If anyone had just touched this, their prints would have been all over it. This piano not been tampered with in a very long time. 

Maybe she had imagined it, or maybe it had been an animal, a mouse or rat running through the old piano, plonking tiny feet over old ivory keys. Maybe the old thing had keys stuck down that had come unstuck and plinked back into place with her movement in the house rattling the old floor boards with her steps. She brushed the sound aside as she looked at the ornate antique tapestries on the walls in the music room. The paintings were particularly interesting, the long dead faces of this house peered out at her through the paintings, and there was one large, full body portrait of a young man, he looked to be maybe in his thirties. 

He was tall with jet black hair, long and thick, it fell nearly to his shoulders. His face was long and the dark hair framed his pale skin perfectly. His nose was prominent and noble, his lips full and expressive, as though he was about to speak and yet was not quite ready, and his eyes ... were haunting. They were dark brown and hooded, and they stared down at Rey through the years as though he were alive and looking at her in the here and now. There was no smile on his lips, no discernible expression at all, except in those eyes. They looked a little sad but there was kindness there too, they were all knowing, all seeing, and she found it hard to look away from them. 

Rey gazed at the portrait for some time, wondering who this man had been and what his life had been like. Her mind was lost in time as she imagined the music room full of light and voices and laughter and perhaps this sullen young man had happily played some beautiful tune on this big old grand piano much to the approval of all those who listened, a smile on his soft lips. She finally dragged herself away and began making her way out of the music room, glancing back one more time at those intense brown eyes staring down at her. Reys mind began to tick over as she explored the house. It was old and dilapidated but inside at least the structure seemed sound. No rotten walls or floors, no damp or mildew. Just a lot of dust, and peeling paint and paper. 

She wondered if she dared moving in. She was now homeless after all and in the five years she had lived next door she had observed exactly zero people coming and going from this old place. If she cleaned out one of the very top, smaller rooms, she could live here, as long as she was respectful to the house she could not see a problem with it. To some the lonely, dark old house would have seemed spooky. But to Rey it felt somehow inviting. Like it had called to her. 

For five years it had whispered to her, enticed her. From the outside it called her somehow to look at it, like an echo in her mind, and every time she went passed it she did so. It had become a character all its own, a lonely, sad behemoth that yearned for life again. And now Rey was finally inside and it was glorious. It was more than she ever imagined it could be like inside.

Maybe the grand old house had been waiting for her, and she laughed at the ridiculous romantic notion, but it would make a great story for her next book she thought. "Hello house," she said out loud and her words echoed through the empty entry hall, making the poor old place seem lonelier than ever.


	2. Chapter 2

Rey crept back through the coal door back into her old home to sleep one more night in her bed. She saw her small bag of belongings and sleeping bag etc piled at the front door by the landlord. Tomorrow she would move all her possessions to the house next door and she was excited by the prospect. The first real excitement and feeling of hope she had felt for some time. 

That night she dreamed of the house next door. She dreamed she saw the dark man from the portrait standing at the top of the grand staircase. His eyes studied her and his gaze filled her with a trepidation she could not explain. His face was so clear she could see the beauty marks on his skin. His hand extended out to her and she felt a pull towards him, through her fear she still wanted to take his hand, to find out who he was, to know him. 

She took a step towards him and his lips parted as though he would speak when suddenly she was awake, sweating and breathing heavily. He had seemed so real, not old and covered in dust, but solid and young with a dark beauty that drew Rey in. She flopped her head from side to side on her pillow, trying to shake those dark eyes from her mind. She had somehow become obsessed with a long dead man who's image was now etched into her mind. 

"My new boyfriend," she laughed to herself, "Over a hundred years old and doesn't age a day. He also never answers back! Best damn boyfriend I've ever had!" she laughed again, she knew she sounded slightly mad and a total sad arse, but maybe life wasn't quite so dreary today as it had been yesterday. It would be a new adventure, a new experience, a new hope. She smiled to herself as she closed her eyes and went back to sleep, "Its OK, you can visit me again." She heard herself say, but where it came from she did not know. 

Early the next morning Rey was busy pushing her belongings through the coal door. There was no electricity in the house, it was still fitted out with the old 1800's gas lighting fixtures, with their finely etched glass shades. She turned on the the tap in the kitchen and heard it bang and shudder to life, it groaned loudly before spewing forth a hundred years of rust and red water. She was very surprised to find, that for whatever reason, the water to this old place had never been cut off.

Rey set to work cleaning out a small room upstairs. The room was sparse, with no bed, just one small table and chair and no curtains. But Rey was happy with that. It meant she would have light during the day without having to open curtains, possibly causing suspicion that there was someone squatting in the house. After she spent many hours clearing out ever speck of dust in the room she made a bed on the floor and felt pleased with her new home such as it was. She found she was able to unlock the back door to the house from the inside, as it was no more than a huge old iron push bolt. 

Out the back was a large, high walled garden. Once it must have been something truly special but now it was overgrown with thorny, rampant rose bushes, old gnarled trees and high bushes, ivy and bulbs gone wild, with daffodils and jonquils everywhere there was any moisture. Even overgrown this place was still a place of extraordinary forgotten beauty, and the scent of the flowers growing wild filled the air. Rey picked some of the roses, some of the daffodils, their scent heavy in her room that evening. 

She had set them in a glass of water on the small table and she looked at them and smiled. These pretty things were still alive here in this beautiful old house, the remnants of a time gone by still clinging to a life once lived. As she set them down she glanced out of her window to the overgrown garden below and for a split second she thought she saw someone down there. A girl in a white dress, all ruffled and flowing and old fashioned. 

It was almost out of the corner of her eye that she saw the figure run behind the overgrown foliage as though she were playing a game of chasey or hide and seek down there in the garden. Rey told herself she had imagined it. She wanted this house to come alive so much that she was wishing it so and tricking her own mind into believing it. She was just tired and over excited. 

Rey sat at the small table in her now clean room. The sun shone through the window and warmed the wooden floorboards. She put in her ear buds and began writing on her laptop. Even though she was now officially homeless and a squatter she felt happy. She somehow felt safe, hiding in this big old house, and felt strangely welcome even though there was not another soul here to actually welcome her. 

There was one thing she noticed. Whenever she pulled out her earbuds she thought she heard a few piano notes as though someone was playing a song and she was hearing the last couple of notes as it ended. It was quick, fleeting, and might not have been there at all, or maybe it was just her laptop somehow echoing or looping. In any case, it was not worth worrying about. Rey fell asleep that night with the smell of the sweet garden flowers in her nostrils and her dreams were soft and happy, with no dark men beckoning her at all. 

In the morning, Rey woke with plans to buy a cheap portable gas stove, so she could make herself a hot cup of tea in the mornings, but when she stepped out of her room she immediately noticed her head felt kind of hazy. Her eyes seemed to be a little out of focus and the layers of dust on everything outside her bedroom seemed lesser somehow. She put it down to sleep in her eyes, or excessive exposure to all the dust or even maybe she was coming down with something. In any case, otherwise she felt fine so she found a way to get out of the back garden by slipping between two bent rungs in the old wrought iron gate to a forgotten alley way. 

As soon as she was in the street her eyes came into full focus and her head cleared. Everything would be OK, she thought. When Rey returned later in the day she found on entering the garden her eyes once again seemed out of focus slightly, her head kind of muddled, like it had cotton wool inside, muffling everything to a small degree. On entering her room her head once again cleared and that strange muffled feeling was gone. She made herself a hot tea while she set to work on her freshly charged laptop. She had spent a few hours at an internet cafe, charging her electronics and writing. 

Later she lay on her bed on the floor and took a nap and was awoken by a woman's voice, "Lillian Rose? Lillian Rose, Where are you girl?" Rey jumped up. She had heard it clearly. She ran to her door and opened it, waiting to hear anything else. She was met with only silence. She walked downstairs. "H ... hello?" she asked nervously. There was no reply, but her eyes felt like she had sand in them, it seemed like the layers of dust in the house were disappearing. 

She found herself once again in the music room, in front of that portrait. The mans dark eyes stared at her, watched her. "You know if we are to continue seeing each other you really are going to have to control all these other ladies." she joked. He stared back at her, unspeaking, unmoving. "I'm so glad you see it my way," she turned to leave, "Best boyfriend ever!" she chuckled. 

As she came to the bottom of the stairs something caught her eye. She looked up and was shocked to see a man, a tall man with dark hair, disappearing around the top of the stairs, heading in the direction of her room. "HEY!" she yelled at him, startled. Yet again there was no reply, there were no sounds of footsteps, no voices. She sprinted up the stairs trying to find the intruder but found no one. The man had not been an apparition, he was solid, she had seen him clearly, and yet now there was no one else here. 

As she was about to close the door of her room she said to no one in particular on the landing outside her bedroom, "I ... mean you no disrespect." she said it quietly, solemnly, because she meant it. She did not want to upset the lonely ghosts that probably still dwelled here, hiding from the world and never changing. Tomorrow she would put some flowers in the music room, a token of respect to those who once lived beneath this old roof. She closed the door to her room and instantly her head felt clear again. 

For an empty, abandoned house there sure seemed to be a lot of people still here, she thought. Tea! She needed tea and she laughed nervously to herself. Something was going on here and she did not know what, maybe she really was just imagining it all. Maybe she was half asleep in this dusty old place, dreaming and imagining people who did not exist, who had never really existed. 

The rest of the day and the evening was uneventful and Rey was thankful for that. The next day was bright and sunny and it made her feel more secure. The morning was always the best time to see things clearly. The worries of the night before not seeming anywhere near as bad the next day in the warm light of day. She picked some daffodils and roses and began wandering the house, heading for the music room to display those sweet smelling flowers. It would be the first time in an age that room had smelled anything other than mustiness. 

Once again on inspection the dust seemed to have receded more than ever, and even though the heavy old curtains were all closed up the place seemed lighter somehow, brighter, friendlier. She came down the grand staircase and looked down the passage to the music room and her heart nearly stopped! The front curtain was open and the room was bathed in light. Instead of creeping towards the room Rey ran towards it, hoping to catch the culprit curtain opener red handed. The flowers flapped in her hand as she ran, dropping rose petals down the hall. 

Entering the bright room she saw the open bay window and plonked the flowers down on the small table in front of it. She whirled around, her hazy eyes trying to take in every detail. As she spun around back to the bay window seat she almost screamed!

There was a man! A large man, sitting on the seat! He was beautifully dressed in a dark suit. His legs were crossed and he was casually reading a very large newspaper. She saw the dark hair falling across his pale forehead, the particular beauty marks that peppered his skin and the dark eyes studying the paper and she knew him immediately. He was the man from the painting.

Rey's mind reeled. She could not be dreaming this, this was not her imagination. If she reached out to him now she knew she would touch him and he would be very real. Suddenly he looked directly at her. Those familiar brown eyes jolting her to her very core, "Who are you?" She heard his voice, deep and rich and like velvet. She gasped, her mouth hanging open in pure shock. She forced herself to close her eyes, tightly squeezing them shut and when she opened them again the room was in darkness. 

The front curtains were closed like they had never been opened and the man was gone, as were the flowers she had put on the table. She looked around the room again, stunned. There was nothing, there was no one and Rey considered the house was making her actually lose her mind. This place, she decided, was thoroughly haunted. Coming face to face with the man in the painting proved it. He had spoken to her and it frightened her, and where had the flowers gone? 

She reconsidered her position on living in this old place and began to think she should leave. This whole thing had been a bad idea. Maybe the reason this house had been abandoned so long was because it was so terribly haunted. Maybe her being had woken them up, disturbed their eternal rest. There was rough weather approaching that night and it would not be the night to be sleeping on the street. So Rey decided to stay one more night and leave the next day, completely at a loss as to where she would go once she left this place. 

There were no other occurrences that day and Rey had stayed mostly in her room except when she scampered to the kitchen to fill her kettle. The violent storm blew in off the bay, and it thrashed over the house cruelly. The rain belted down in hard sheets and the lightning and thunder was so loud She could hear car alarms going off in the night. She pulled her sleeping bag over her head and prayed there would still be a roof on the house when the morning came.


	3. Chapter 3

Rey slept restlessly, the cracking lightning and booming thunder startling her awake many times during the night. The sun had reappeared the next morning but she felt tired and out of sorts. There was a slight ringing in her ears and she thought she could hear sounds coming from the house, outside her bedroom. It was like people moving around up and down the stairs, through the passages, and clanging sounds coming from the area of the kitchen. It was probably just the wind playing its usual tricks with her mind, she thought.

She looked out her window to the garden below and stopped in her tracks. The overgrown garden was no longer overgrown! It was neat and trimmed. The paths were clear and there were hedges and topiary trees, carefully and neatly clipped to shape. Rey blinked, it was still there, a beautiful jewel in the warm sunshine. She shook her head in disbelief and the the garden remained. As she looked she saw a man in a straw hat, pushing a wooden barrow. He pulled out some large hand held hedge clippers and began trimming the foliage.

Rey was stunned. Had this man transformed that whole garden overnight during that horrendous storm? Impossible! She could not stop staring at it in amazement. "Lillian Rose? Where are you girl?" That ladies voice again! Rey opened her door and felt for a moment that she was going to pass out with what she was seeing. The whole house was transformed and bathed in light. Every curtain was open and the house was clean. Completely free of all those layers of dust and grime and it was beautiful. 

Overnight someone had completely restored both the garden and the interior of this house to its former glory. How on earth they had done it and without making a sound Rey did not know but they had done an amazing job. "Lillian Rose!" The ladies voice called again. Rey crept outside her door. An old fashioned maid appeared at the other end of the landing. Rey stood and stared as the girl bustled passed her. As she went by she hissed, "You better get in there, she has been calling you all morning!" Rey kept on staring, wide eyed at the girl. "Me? ... but ..."

"Just get in there!" the girl said sharply as she continued on her way. Rey slowly made her way to where the girl had come from. "Lillian Rose!" the woman called again. Rey came to the big door that lead to the huge bedroom. The door was ajar and Rey tentatively peeked inside. A lady! In an fancy old fashioned dress, sat at the now pristine dressing table. All those perfume and potion bottles, ivory handled hair brushes and tortoise shell combs were like new. 

Rey stared in wonder at the opulent furnishings in the room, all like new. The lady spotted Rey in her mirror and spun in her seat declaring "Lillian Rose! It's about time young lady!" Rey stood transfixed on this amazing looking woman. "Lillian Rose! What on earth are you wearing?" Rey looked down at her fashionably ripped jeans and plain t shirt, "Oh I err ... " 

"You look a fright my dear, and your hair! Oh no, no. This will never do for the photograph. Kylo will have both our heads. MAGGIE!" The woman called loudly for the maid.

"What does your mother call you my dear?"

"My ... mother?"

"Yes, yes, your mother. Come, come girl, have some wits about you for goodness sake!"

"Oh ... err ... it's Rey, she called me Rey."

"Ah yes, Lillian Rose Rey, I knew you had a third name somewhere." The lady smiled widely as Maggie made her appearance. The lady began barking at Maggie, "Please take Rey to her room and do help her dress suitably. The photo is in an hour and there is no time to lose." 

Maggie lead Rey to another opulent bedroom. "Hurry," she urged, Mr Ren will be very upset if anyone is late for the photo."

"Is this a reenactment?" Rey asked Maggie, dumbfounded. 

"Reenactment? What in blazes are you talking about? Here are the gowns, choose one quickly, Ill help you dress just HURRY!"

Rey did not have the time or the inclination to argue, and she did not wish to offend the mysterious Mr Ren, whoever he was. She chose a green and black confection to wear. Rey had never seen such a beautiful dress. There appeared to be silver thread stitched through the green silk of the dress. The dress shimmered in the light and Rey found herself mesmerised by it. Maggie was laying the dress out on the large bed and telling Rey to hurry up and get undressed.

Rey was blushing as she peeled off her shirt and jeans, exposing her bikini cut panties and lacey bra. Maggie suddenly burst out laughing as though Rey's underwear was the most ridiculous thing she had ever seen. She stood with her hands on her hips, laughing loudly, "What on earth??" Reys hands instinctively made to cover herself up. She suddenly felt very exposed. She smiled nervously, "Ah ... something wrong?"

"Is it from France? Why, its hardly there at all!" Maggie exclaimed, "It wouldn't even cover a gnats behind. I have never seen the like!" She turned and pulled out some cotton knickerbockers, and a whalebone corset. "These are much more appropriate for these parts," she smiled. Rey suddenly laughed out loud at the absurdity of it all. Whatever was happening in this house right now was a hell of a lot of fun. 

Maggie helped Rey on with the corset, pulling it tight until Rey could hardly breath. She gasped a little as her shape became accustomed to the severe restriction it was now under. The gown went on over the top with a tight waist coat, to accentuate the tiny cinched waist and a bustle under the skirt. Maggie instructed Rey to sit at the dressing table and to choose some jewellery while Maggie dealt with Rey's hair, pulling down her chestnut pony tail and pinning and teasing and twirling Rey's hair until it amazed even Rey with its intricate curls. 

"I don't even know how you just did that," Rey laughed. 

"Years of experience Miss," Maggie smirked.

Rey picked out a beautiful emerald pendant and drop emerald earrings and Maggie helped her fit the pieces. 

"Good choice Miss. Mr Ren is partial to the colour green."

"Who is Mr Ren?" Rey asked innocently.

"Why, he is master of this house Miss. Don't you know, aren't you cousins?"

"Oh ... yes," Rey faked. Mr Ren's cousin? Who the hell was this Mr Ren? Rey had no cousins. Whoever this guy was he owned this house and had suddenly appeared to do this historical recreation or whatever this was, some kind of live play maybe. Who knew, it was all very intriguing and exciting.

"Wait here,' Maggie instructed and she took off and closed the bedroom door behind her. Rey stared at the girl looking back at her from the mirror. Who was that girl? It was as though she had stepped through time and was now in the late 1800's. Whoever had set this up had an incredible eye for detail. The emerald jewellery Rey was wearing was exquisite. It had to be fake though. The gems alone, if real, would be worth a small fortune.

Suddenly Maggie was bustling back into Rey's room, "Hurry! Mrs Ren wants to inspect you. Quickly now!" Rey found herself being herded out of the bedroom and back to Mrs Ren's room. "Ah Lillian Rose Rey, you look lovely! Now, go downstairs and wait for me, I shall be down presently." As Mrs Ren had finished speaking Rey heard a mans voice, deep and resonant. A voice she had heard before. A voice that suddenly made her feel afraid of who she might see next. 

"Mother where is Margaret? If that girl is late I do not know what I shall do with her!" The tall, black haired man stalked confidently into the room and Reys heart skipped a beat on laying eyes on him. She heard her breath rasping as she began to hyperventilate. This tall, stern looking man, was the man from the painting. Suddenly his eyes were on Rey. Dark brown eyes, glaring into her, "You!" he exclaimed. Rey took a step backwards in fear. His face was so dark, slight shadows under his dark eyes and his lips in a grimace.

"Kylo dear, this is our cousin Lillian Rose Rey, and you will please be civil. Now ... Margaret is probably in the garden. Why don't you take Rey with you to help you find her? You should become acquainted." Kylo continued to glare angrily at Rey before storming out of the room. "Pay my son no heed my dear, he has a temper, but he has the dearest heart. A mother knows these things." she smiled. 

Rey was standing there absolutely peaking out over seeing a man she thought had to be a ghost. But he could be no ghost. He was solid, real, and he was frightening. He seemed a mile apart from the man she thought she had seen in the portrait. She had felt the anger eminanting from his presence, the arrogant way he held himself, and he was clearly unhappy that Rey was here at all. 

Reys mind was spinning and barely under her control at this point. Where was she and who were these people? Where had they all sprung from so suddenly overnight? If it all didn't seem so real Rey would have doubted her sanity. But it was real. She could see it, touch it. These people weren't ghosts. They were living breathing people as real as she was. 

"Cousin Rey, did you hear me? Don't let my son frighten you. He seems like a bear but I promise you he has the softest heart of all of us in this house. Now get down downstairs. My sister Nelly and I will be there shortly."

"Thank you Mrs Ren," Rey said quietly. 

"Oh please cousin, call me May. We are all family in this house."

Rey felt the smile creep across her lips. She liked this lady, Mrs May Ren. She was full of life and personality. The kind of woman she wished her own mother had been like. But Rey's mother had died when she was very young, and she barely remembered her. It made Rey sad that she had never known her mother, but it helped her not to take others for granted. Rey appreciated people for who they where, and with May, Rey felt an instant connection. She was a wonderful, vibrant, kind person, and Rey already felt drawn to her.

Rey left Mays room and headed down the now highly polished, grand staircase, her hands slipping over the smooth surface, noticing the magnificent crystal chandelier had been perfectly restored and cleaned and was now like a sparkling star. Dazzling in its beauty. The gold and silver thread sewn into the fine Persian carpets shone in the sunlight streaming through the big windows, glinting in the light. This was the most beautiful house Rey had ever seen. 

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Rey saw a lady pacing in the music room. She was in a light pink dress, decorated with fine red roses and looked to be a similar age to May. This was May's sister Nelly. Rey tentatively entered the room and caught the ladies attention. A wide smile beamed back at her as the lady came towards Rey, her arms open wide and her head slightly cocked to one side.

"Lillian Rose!" the lady took Reys hands and held them out so she could inspect Rey's dress.

"Oh very pretty, that colour suits you cousin."

"Cousin Nelly?" Rey asked shyly.

"Why yes!" Nelly beamed, hugging Rey briefly and leading her to that window seat that had frightened her so badly the day before.

"How was you trip my dear? How is your mother?"

"Oh ... it was good," Rey lied, "and mother is well." She decided to just play along and see where this all went. 

"We are so pleased you have come my dear. The place has been a little pale, we need someone like you to bring a little life back to this house." Nelly beamed at Rey like she truly was a long lost relative. 

Shouting was heard, angry shouts becoming closer and clearer. 

" ... how many times did I tell you?"

"But I don't want to wear this dress, I hate this dress!"

"It is too late! The photographer will be here shortly and you will wear what you have on!"

"You are so MEAN!"

"Yes ... I am!"

Nelly rose at hearing the commotion and Rey followed as she saw a young girl run down the passage towards them. She looked to be about 11 or 12 years old. Behind her stalked Kylo, a scowl on his face as he looked at the young girl. The girl ran right up to Rey, took her hand and stood behind her, peeking out at the large man rapidly bearing down on her as though Rey was her shield from him. 

"He is being so mean today," the girl whispered in Rey's ear. Kylo walked in and once again his intimidating glare fell on Rey. Rey felt the heat in her cheeks as they flushed a rosy pink. 

He was not just a tall man, he was solid and well built, with broad shoulders and a wide chest. Rey could see he was powerful, strong, and he wore his fine tailored suit impressively. He was wearing knee length boots and his black fringe was carefully brushed to one side. From his demeanour Rey had inferred he definitely did not like her. He seemed to see through her, seemed to know she should not be there. That she did not in fact, know any of these people. Rey waited and expected Kylo to call her out at any moment and this charade would all be over, and yet he did not. He just continued to glare at her occasionally but to otherwise ignore her.

"Kylo stop being so mean!" the girl hiding behind Rey scolded him. 

"Margaret, hush!" he admonished as a loud knock sounded at the front door. Kylo was then greeting a man at the front door. A photographer with his glass plates and platform with the black cover. May came into the room with a flourish. "They are just setting up. Kylo will come and get us shortly," she enthused. "Margaret! Why is your face like that? What is the matter?"

"Kylo wont let me change my dress!"

"You have had all morning young lady, the one you are wearing will just have to do. You must listen to your brother!"

"But mother, I want to look as pretty as Lillian Rose!" Rey was taken aback. Pretty? Rey had always seen herself as plain, nothing special to look at. 

"Now, now Margaret! You are behaving very ill indeed. Please do not aggravate your brother further today, he wants this to go well."

"Yes mother." Margarets face frowned, but not for long. Kylo entered the room, "Ladies, the gentleman is ready to receive us now." This time there was no anger in that voice, just matter of fact instructions. Rey watched the tall, confident man leading the group to the staircase. Rey had never met a man like this before, such self assurance, such command. He was obviously the glue that kept this gaggle of women together, and Rey could see none of them were afraid of him as Rey was. She could see the affection they held for him. Even now, Margaret was running alongside him, taking his hand affectionately and laughing as though their previous altercation had never happened, and he had no angry words for her now, no aggravation. 

Rey caught him sneaking smiles at Margaret, the doting smiles of an older brother as Margaret chatted incessantly and laughed excitedly. When he smiled Rey saw the hardness in him soften. The darkness ebbed away and his eyes took on some of the kindness she thought she saw in the portrait. But when he glanced at Rey, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. The anger in him seemed to boil up, his eyes so full of hatred. A fresh wave of panic washed over her every time she saw that look in his eye. Fearsome and intimidating.

The photographer set them up to take the photo. Kylo sat at the front in a chair. His mother May stood with her hand on his shoulder to his left and Nelly stood behind him on his right. Margaret sat on the floor in front of her mother and Rey was instructed to sit at Kylo's feet. Her gown spread out in front of her like a great fan. The photographer set the plate and began the exposure, and once it was done Margaret was asking excitedly when they could see the photograph. Kylo was seeing the photographer out as Rey found herself alone at the foot of the grand staircase, as Margaret, Nelly and May had already hurried off to breakfast.

She quickly realised she would be awkwardly alone with this frightening man if she did not escape quickly. She turned to sneak after the others when she heard him speak and a feeling of dread shot through her.

"I know who you are."

Rey stopped, her back to him, to scared to turn and face him, "I'm sorry?" she replied without turning.

"I know why you are here."

Rey turned around slowly, dreading having to look into those haunting, frightening eyes. She steeled herself. He was just a man after all, and who was he to her? No one, that's who. Rey glared at him, giving him a taste of his own medicine, "What do you mean, I don't understand."

"You are another of my mothers urchins, her newest adoption."

Rey looked down at her hands, her angry resolve dissolving. He had suddenly made her feel so small, so ... worthless.

"Oh ... I see. Well then ... I suppose I am." She saw the irony in it. She WAS an urchin, a homeless person, a pauper, with barely enough money to feed herself for the next few months. 

"Just know 'cousin Rey' ... " he ground out the name sarcastically, "That I will be watching you, and if you disappoint my mother in any way, I will destroy you!" He was deadly serious, his lips almost looked like they were snarling and Rey felt hers legs shaking beneath her ornate green gown. Thankfully, he could not see that, it felt like a small victory. 

Without another word he turned to leave and Rey found herself blurting out, "I have no wish to hurt your mother!" She was telling the truth, and she meant every word. She saw him pause for a moment and then he was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Rey was shaken. She did not know why she felt the need to reassure Kylo about anything. He had been nothing but hateful towards her and yet she felt the need to prove to him he could trust her. She had no idea why she cared what this strange angry man thought about her and now she felt stupid for saying what she did. Margaret came running out of the dining room, grabbing Rey by the hand, "Mother says come and have breakfast, or we will be late for church."

Church? Rey had not set foot in a church since she was a kid in Sunday school at about the age of five. This would be interesting. Rey found Margaret's childish smiles infectious and could not help but smile and laugh back at the girl. Rey sat down at the large dining table. There was a large selection of breakfast items on offer, bacon, eggs, beans, toast, and the most exciting thing of all, tea! and Rey was ecstatic. After that horrible run in with Kylo the tea would be a calming Godsend. 

Margaret gibbered on about seeing the photograph and May and Nelly were gossiping about people Rey did not know. Kylo strode in and informed them the surrey was waiting for them out front. Rey asked Margaret under her breath what a surrey was. Margaret laughed like a maniac and told her it was a surrey cart, a horse drawn carriage. They mean car surely, Rey thought. Margaret grabbed her hand and they walked to the front door. The big doors opened wide and Rey squinted as the sunlight splayed in and then her mind splintered like it had just smashed like fragile glass on the floor.

Rey stepped out of the front door and knew she had lost her mind. The street was made of cobblestones. There were horse and carriages clattering loudly up and down the busy street and people in period clothing sauntered in the green sloping park that had suddenly appeared across the road. Rey whirled around, feeling like she was in the most vivid dream she had ever had. She looked up at the house and it was like new. The paint was fresh and vibrant in colour. The dilapidated balcony was fully restored and the whole house looked for all the world like one of those pretty Victorian dolls houses Rey had admired on Ebay. As Rey spun around she stepped into the busy street, her mind a cacophony of sights and sounds and smells. She was in a daze, staring up at the beautiful house.

A horse whinnied loudly and the sound of heavy hooves clattering startled Rey. She looked to her right, a surrey was bearing down on her at breakneck speed. Rey opened her mouth to scream when the breath was knocked out of her by a long thick arm, wrapping around her waist and hauling her off the road to safety. Rey's eyes were squeezed shut, and she had her hands on the arm that had lifted her as though she weighed nothing. She heard Kylo whisper in her ear, "A little care please cousin."

His arm slid from her waist and she turned to him, the look of shock still shimmering through her hazel eyes, "I ... ah," she was still speechless seeing the street as it was. Her whole world had been turned completely upside down. Somehow she had been transported to this time, and now this angry young man had just saved her from ending her life here. Kylo looked into Rey's eyes. It was as though he was looking for something, his eyes searching her face, and Rey stared back at him. If he had truly wanted her gone from his home and his family, this would have been his chance and yet he saved her. Maybe he didn't hate her as much as his eyes lied that he did. "Thank you," she said quietly. 

He broke her gaze and began helping the other ladies into the waiting carriage. Rey stood and watched him. When the others were seated in the surrey he turned to Rey, holding out his hand to her, it was like the dream sh'e had about him on the stair. There was no smile on his face, just that same, sullen expression, but Rey felt the pull to him, felt the need to prove herself to him, and she did not know why. Rey smiled nervously at him and his eyes felt like they were drilling into her, but it was not in anger, there was a lost look in them, something Rey could not place. Although he intimidated Rey like hell, after what had just happened on the road she felt safer having the big brute nearby. 

Rey forgot everything once inside the surrey. She stared out the window as the surrey jolted and jumped along with a look of childish glee. What she was seeing was amazing, astounding, and she could hardly believe her eyes. The other ladies in the carriage were giggling mercilessly at Rey's unbridled delight. While Kylo seemed uninterested in the commotion, but every so often he would look at her out of the corner of his eye, quickly studying her then just as quickly looking away as though he had never looked at her at all.

Rey wondered when she was going to wake up, because all of this, this place and all these people, they had to be a dream. They arrived at a small church and she quickly realised this was as much a social event as a meeting to prayer. "Kylo, please take Rey's arm. She looks positively lost." May demanded of him. Kylo obliged without as much as a passing glance at Rey and she stole peeks at him as he strode alongside her, doing his duty. He looked so haughty and proud.

"DAVID!" Rey heard Margaret squeal. 

"Margaret! Please control yourself." admonished Kylo, as the three women converged on an attractive, fair haired young man with a gorgeous smile. Rey glanced at Kylo, who seemed wholly uninterested in this man. She wanted to ask Kylo who this man was but by the look of disdain on Kylo's face she wouldn't have expected any kind of answer from him anyway. 

"David, where have you been hiding dear boy? We have missed your company so." said May as she fussed over him as though he were a long lost child. Margaret was tugging at his coat, calling his name and trying desperately to get his attention. Nelly was more reserved, but clearly happy to see David none the less. Davids eyes meet Kylo's and there was a curt nod of the head towards each other. A brief acknowledgement and nothing more.

"Rey, come and meet David. He is like one of the family." enthused May. Rey gave Kylo another quick glance who just happened to be looking right at her with the most peculiar expression. He looked uncharacteristically anxious. David was David Radbourne, the only son of a very wealthy logging family. His family had a very ostentatious mansion high on Knob Hill, overlooking the Bay.

"This is our cousin Lillian Rose Rey," May said as she introduced Rey to David, "Isn't she a delight?"

"Very much so," David smiled charmingly, his blue eyes were focused on Rey. His manner all ease and charm, all light and witty banter. He drew Rey in with his easy small talk and confidence making Rey giggle more than once. David was funny and entertaining and everything Kylo was not. Kylo had turned away and was heading to a pew. It was obvious Kylo did not consider David to be part of the family as his mother did.

"Oh please visit us at home David, we miss you so," pleaded Margaret.

"Well," he paused before replying, "I cannot promise a visit, but a walk in the park would certainly be within the realms of possibility, and please bring your charming cousin Rey." He smiled most sweetly at Rey, and she felt the heat in her cheeks as they burned red. The attention was a little embarrassing.

Rey sat with the family and listened to the service. It was kind of peaceful, kind of pleasant to sit quietly with these wonderful people and listen to the sermon.   
After it was over Rey felt quite relaxed and calm after such a mind blowing morning, and as the family made their way out of the church Rey spent the time examining the amazing clothing being worn by all these people. She wondered how this had all happened. There had been the storm last night, raging and violent. Maybe the power of that storm had caused this to happen, caused her to slip through time.

"We are meeting David in the park," Margaret told Rey excitedly. Kylo turned to Rey and gave her a pointed glare on hearing this. Rey was taken aback by his mean expression. What the hell was his problem? He could not stop her from seeing whomever she pleased, and what did it matter to him? She was a 25 year old woman and Kylo was nothing to her, she told herself. Her feelings of being horribly intimidated by the moody Kylo were rapidly turning to anger. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? All that damn seething rage simmering just under the surface. The guy needed a damn happy meal that was for sure.

It was clear Kylo had no intention of meeting David so the ladies hurried over to the park when they arrived home, dragging Rey along with them. They had not been there long when they saw David waiting at the large park fountain. May and Margaret twittered around the handsome young man, asking him questions in rapid succession and taking up all of his attention. They obviously missed him and had not seen him in some time. They had a lot of catching up to do. Nelly stood back and smiled and Rey stood beside her watching May and Margaret and David animatedly talking non stop.

"Does Mr Ren not like David?" Rey quietly asked Nelly.

"Ah, you noticed."

"It would be hard not to notice."

"They were friends once, great friends, like brothers, but some time ago there was an incident."

"You mean a fight?"

"Well I do not know all the details, but there was a disagreement, yes."

"It sounds like it must have been very serious to cause such a sharp rift?"

"Well it involved a girl, Mays last cousin that stayed with us, unfortunate circumstances I believe."

"Mays last cousin ... you mean like me? Adopted cousin?"

"Yes dear like you ... but also not like you. The girl ... was headstrong, unruly."

"And she caused the rift between friends?"

"I believe ... there was an attachment formed on Kylo's part, in any case the girl disappeared and there has been bad blood between the two men to this day. But I have said too much. Please do not mention this in front of May or Margaret, it hurt them when the girl left, and they do not need their tender hearts reminded of it." 

Rey smiled at Nelly, "Of course not, I will not breath a word"

"One more thing ... be wary."

"Of Kylo?"

"Oh no, not Kylo. David, be wary of that young man."

Rey stared at Nelly. David seemed nothing other than charming, perhaps overly so, but charming none the less. Rey wondered about the story of the previous cousin. Where was she? What had happened between Her and Kylo and how was David involved? One of these men seemed all goodness and light and the other boiling rage and darkness. It seemed easy to be able to place the blame between the two on the surface of it.

David was holding out his hand to Rey, and she smiled and took his arm as the group walked and talked. After some time David and Rey dropped back a little from the other ladies, "You must allow me to show you the sights. I see you have an eye for the scenery."

"There's no need really, the ladies are more than willing, excited even, to show me this town."

"Oh, but you disappoint me so Rey, a yes from you would set me up nicely. Surely you would not be so cruel as to deny me?"

"I would have to check with Mr Ren. He ... umm ... I have to mindful my behaviour."

"Your behaviour? How very interesting. Is your behaviour ... less than desired?" he was smirking.

"I don't want to offend the Ren family."

"Of course," he sympathised, smiling warmly at her and patting her arm. "Although ... some may not be as good as you purport them to be."

"Do you mean Mr Ren?" 

"I would not wish to be the one to point fingers but sometimes it is so obvious there really is no need to do so."

Rey looked at him, "Did you know May's last cousin?"

"A little, but barely. She was on all accounts a sweet girl."

"Sweet? I heard she was out of control"

"The way you talk Rey, it's so ... unusual, he remarked before continuing, she was brow beaten, most definitely."

"By Mr Ren?"

"The man is a bully. I am sure you have seen it, he does not try to hide his moods. I heard he was very cruel to that lady. I feel sure he was solely to blame for the disappearance of that young woman."

He stopped and turned to her, his voice low so the others would not hear, "Please promise me you will be careful in that house."

Rey smiled and encouraged him to keep walking, "Believe me, I can take care of myself."

"Well I suppose there is some comfort in that." He laughed quietly. 

That night Rey had dinner with the ladies but Kylo had opted to eat in his room. She did not see him for the rest of the day and it was nice to be free of his overbearing presence for a little while. That night she lay in her bed in her opulent bedroom. When she woke in the morning would she be back in her own time? She prayed that would not be the case. After just one day in this world she wanted to stay with these wonderful people. They already felt like the family she had never had and to lose them would be heart breaking. 

She lay awake as long as she could but she was utterly exhausted after the days events and was swept away into a deep sleep. She dreamed of a mish mash of this place and her own time. She saw Kylo, his hair a little different, not as well kept as usual, kind of wind blown and scruffy. His clothes looked modern, but he stood in the cobbled, dusty street of the 1800's. Rey walked right up to him, looking at his appearance and the expression of confusion on his face.

"Kylo?"

"Ben," he answered.


	5. Chapter 5

In the morning Rey's eyes blinked open and she breathed a sigh of relief. Still here! She thought. She sat up and stretched just as Maggie came in and opened the curtains, letting the glorious sunshine stream on in and Rey could not wipe the silly smile off her face. Maggie was helping Rey dress. Rey had picked out a pretty blue creation, "Maggie, do you know anything of May's last cousin that stayed here? A girl?"

"Oh you mean Letitia. Yes she stayed here, but we have not seen or heard of that young lady for quite some time."

"What was she like?'

"She was very wilful, I suppose you could say, undisciplined. She caused Mr Ren all manner of upset, and there were a lot of rows between them."

"Do you think Mr Ren ... drove her away?"

"Oh no Miss. Mr Ren is a kind man, but that girl vexed him greatly, and I for one was glad when she did not return here. She was not good enough for Mr Ren, or this family. He was hurt though, and though I am certain he did not drive her out, I am sure he blamed himself for the girl never returning here."

"You think so highly of him? But he seems so angry ... "

"Oh dont worry about that Miss. Mr Ren is just ... careful, and he likes you Miss, you can be sure." 

Reys eyes widened, "He likes me??" and she laughed out loud, "Nope! That's not right. He resents me deeply."

"Sometimes a man hides behind a mask of his own making Miss. It does not make him bad, just unsure of himself."

"And this David Radbourne guy?"

"Oh well, that gentleman is pleasant enough, but is he as good a man as our Mr Ren? Most definitely not. Mr Ren may seem full of bluff and thunder, but his heart is loyal and true."

Rey stared at Maggie. The girl had no reason to lie other than Ren was her employer but Rey could detect no falseness in Maggie's words. Rey went downstairs to see if anyone was in the music room, there was a paper on the table at the window seat. Rey looked at the date,

'April 15th 1876'

The whalebone corset was restricting Reys breathing and seeing the date in black and white made Rey feel light headed, she felt her breathing slow, become ragged, she felt nauseous and the world spun on its axis as the blackness began to creep inside her head, and as she felt herself start to fall a long, solid arm slipped around her waist and a deep, smooth voice was speaking low in her ear, 

"Rey!"

She felt him pull her against his tall hard frame, holding her up in her swoon. He pulled her towards the window seat and sat her down, "Rey, you are unwell. Sit! Stay calm, do not move. I will get you something," he said hurriedly, "Water, or perhaps some tea? They tell me you like it."

Rey stared at him, his eyes were not angry now. They were kind and full of concern. It was surprising, "I'm fine. Don't worry about it." she said.

"But I saw you, you are ill. Wait here, do not move I will return presently." He hurried away to arrange for tea to be brought out, returning promptly to check on her. He sat on the window seat next to her, the sheer size of him, even sitting down, dwarfed Reys slight figure, "If you are unwell I shall call the doctor -- " Maggie arrived with a tray of tea and Kylo was thanking her and pouring Rey a cup. "Yeah, seriously, I'm OK. It's probably this stupid corset ... I can hardly breath in it," she grimaced. 

"Oh." he said quietly. He seemed a little embarrassed. Right now there was none of that arrogance or pride she had seen in him before. He seemed awkward, unsure of what to say next, but Rey was in no doubt his concern was genuine. Rey sipped her tea and watched him over the rim of her cup. He looked so nervous. It was hard to watch. She put the cup down and put her hand on his as it rested on his knee. He shot her a look of surprise and Rey thought that she had probably broken some stupid social rule by touching him in such a way, but she found it hard to see him so out of sorts, so helpless, "Believe me. I'm fine, but thanks for the concern."

She was surprised when she felt his other hand come down on top of hers, squeezing her hand gently, a concerned smile on the corners of his lips. Rey saw the glimmer behind the facade. This man had been there for her twice now, catching her before she had fallen, saving her, "You didn't meet your friend David in the park yesterday?"

He snatched his hands away from hers, the darkness and anger returned to his brown eyes. "I ... have no interest in that gentleman, and I would suggest others should not have an interest in him either." He rose and left without another word. His anger seemed to be masking some terrible wound. He seemed to have been hurt deeply in the past either by Leticia or David or both and Rey was beginning to see more clearly his obvious pain over the incident. He was angry and sullen but Rey could see no dishonesty in him, no falseness. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, and his eyes could not conceal the hurt he had suffered.

Rey spent the day with the ladies, hardly seeing Kylo at all. He was conspicuous by his absence and although the other ladies begged him to spend time with them, he made out he had business to attend too, but Rey felt his whole reason for him not being there was to avoid her company. Once again she had managed to offend him. That night he made an appearance at dinner and surprisingly appeared to be in quite a good mood, much to Rey's relief. He and Margaret had some private joke going on between them and Margaret was giggling and whispering to him and having a great time of it. 

Rey loved that this family was so close. It was something she had never had. She sat and smiled at them all, and was thoroughly engrossed in something May was telling Nelly when she noticed Kylo watching her. She had to admire his diligence, his fierce protectiveness of his family, and she thought how comforting it must be to have someone like him, staunchly watching over them.

It was nice to see him relaxed and somewhat happy. He was a different person when he smiled and laughed. Here was that handsome man from the portrait. He even managed to be civil to Rey, much to her surprise. That night Rey lay in her bed and made the wish again that when she woke she would still be here, in this time, with this family that she wanted so much to be her own, and that would be her wish for every night to come.

The next day after lunch, there was a knock at the door, and Maggie was calling Rey, who was in the music room engrossed in Kylo's morning newspaper, "It's Mr Radbourne Miss, he asked if he could speak with you." David was waiting in the street and seemed overjoyed to see Rey, "Finally!" he exclaimed, "The lady has deemed it fit to see me." He was smiling widely, and taking her hand he kissed it, and Rey had to admit he was very attractive as he flashed that charming smile at her. Rey smiled back and felt a little guilty about refusing his written requests to accompany him for walks in the park. He seemed so harmless. 

"Rey, would you do me the honour of accompanying me in a walk in the park today? The weather is rather nice at the moment." He was still holding her hand and Rey pulled her hand from his, "I'm sorry David, but no." His face dropped a little, "But why? Surely there can be no harm in it?" He took a step closer and lowered his voice to a near whisper, "If he is trying to keep you prisoner here--"

"No! He isn't! Do I look like a prisoner?" Rey asked, a littler angry. His niggling at Kylo had irritated her.

"Well then, come take a turn. Being cooped up in that house all day, a walk in the fresh air would do you the world of good." 

"Seriously David. No!" Rey stated.

"What an unusual turn of phrase you have my dear --" 

"The lady said NO!" Kylo's voice, deep and stern, rang out over Rey's shoulder, it made Rey jump a little. She turned and looked up at him, his eyes were glaring at David, he seemed enormous, menacing. David stared at Kylo and Rey saw the fear flash across his face before he tipped his hat at Rey and without a word turned on his heel and walked away. 

Kylo was staring angrily at David's back, as Rey looked up at him, her nose screwed up as she squinted in the bright sunlight, I was fine you know, I was handling it." He held out his arm to her, a slight smirk on his lips, "A little reinforcement never goes astray." he said and suddenly he was kind of shy, avoiding her eyes, "If ... you would like a walk in the park ... I could accompany you."

Rey grinned, she liked this sweet shy Kylo, "Yeah, let's do that!" she said, and she saw him chuckle. "The way you talk is so--"

"Different?" Rey asked smiling, as they walked.

"Yes, let us say 'different'." He smiled at her and Rey saw his darkness lifting, underneath the anger was a dark beauty and always the purest sincerity about him. They walked and made small talk and came to a bird bath where the little birds were splashing and swooping and singing and Rey was enamoured with them, laughing at them bathing, "Look how much fun they are having!" she laughed looking to Kylo who was smiling at her delight over such a simple thing as birds in a bird bath.

When they got back to the house he took her hand and kissed it, his dark eyes never leaving hers. He thanked her for the walk and disappeared to change for dinner. It sent a shiver down Rey's spine, his hand in hers, his soft lips on her skin, and those brown eyes that felt like they were looking into her very soul, and yet when David had kissed her hand she had felt nothing.

At dinner that night Kylo seemed as though he'd had a weight lifted from his shoulders. He smiled and joked and Rey realised she was finally getting to see the man his family so loved. Charming and sweet and so very loyal. After dinner they played charades in the music room, and although Rey had problems guessing everyone else's charades due to her time frame of reference, Kylo seemed to be able to guess Rey's charades more than anyone else. "How do you keep guessing mine so easily?" she asked him. 

"I suppose you have a way about you that I understand." he replied smiling. Rey smiled back at him, his brown eyes were so soft and deep, and he seemed so different from just a few days ago. 

In the morning Maggie helped her dress as usual and informed her that breakfast would be in the garden that morning. Rey had chosen a white dress, nice and clean and bright and she made her way quickly to the garden, not wanting to miss out on having breakfast with the family. She heard feet running, could hear Margaret giggling wildly. The garden looked beautiful and was laid out a little like a maze with its high cut hedges. As Rey headed towards the centre she was surprised by Margaret who nearly ran straight into Rey, grabbing her hand and dragging her behind a hedge with her, "Hush!" she whispered, her cheeks were flushed and a huge grin was plastered across her face, "Shhh he is coming!" 

Kylo ran past and Margaret pulled Rey down behind the hedge further, "Don't let him see --"

"Don't let him see WHAT??" Kylo was was on top of them, and Margaret was squealing wildly as Kylo was tickling her mercilessly making her gasp for air and begging him to stop because she could not breath. Rey watched them both laughing, saw the light dance across his face. No one could ask for a better brother than this, she thought.

"Go to your mother, breakfast is waiting." he instructed. Margaret skipped away happily and Kylo stood before Rey. Without a word he offered her his arm. She looked up at him and slipped her arm through his, her hand resting on his arm. He was calm, relaxed, at ease. Rey felt him looking at her and could tell he wanted to say something but was struggling to get it out. Eventually he began to speak, "I feel I must apologise for my behaviour."

He was quiet, subdued. Rey was surprised by his words, she had not expected this. She smiled, "I wouldn't worry about it." He stopped, turning to her, "No. I have been an ugly brute and with no good reason." Reys brow furrowed, "You do have reason. You have your family to protect and I cant blame you for that. If anything it's something to be admired."

"You ... are also now family," His voice was so quiet and soft, and hearing him say it filled Rey's heart with the feeling of belonging she had never felt before. He was standing so close to her, and he certainly did not feel frightening now. His face was so gentle looking, so like a sweet little boy asking for forgiveness. She raised her hand and touched his cheek with her finger tips. She knew she shouldn't do it, but she wanted to touch that soft, sad face so badly, to let him know she forgave him. His eyes widened a little at her touch and were roaming her face, studying her lips. Rey's voice was little more than a whisper, "You don't need to apologise to me Mr--" 

"My name is Kylo." He smiled shyly and turned to lead her to the breakfast that was spread on the large table in the centre of the garden. May and Nelly happily drew Rey into their lively conversation and Rey caught Kylo smirking at her more than once over the silliness of the ladies talk. "Oh look at the little birds!" Margaret cried excitedly. Rey looked up at the little things swooping and whirling through the sky, their song filling the air. "Don't you love them Rey?" Margaret asked.

"Yes, I do love them," Rey was laughing nearly as much as Margaret at their spectacle. Margaret was clapping her hands and Rey stood in wonder at the scene, like something from a dream but so real. The warm morning sun shining down brightly on the party and Rey could not imagine a prettier setting. 

Rey looked at Kylo as he sat with a subdued smile on his face at the spectacle of the two girls enjoying the little birds. He looked so handsome today, or was he just growing on her day by day? The intimidation and fear he had induced in her had been swept away, and she found herself drawn to him. Something about him called to her. Just like he had in the portrait. Those serious brown eyes, beckoning, always beckoning.


	6. Chapter 6

She wondered how much time she had left here. Was she here permanently or was this only temporary? She told herself to stop thinking about that. To enjoy every day here fully until it ended, if it ever ended. It was late afternoon and Rey was sitting in the music room reading Kylo's discarded newspaper, when Kylo came in, "I don't suppose you would like to accompany me for a walk in the park before dinner?" he asked. Rey smiled and gave him an enthusiastic "Yeah!" that made him smirk. 

Margaret saw them leaving and wanted to go too, but was cut down by a stern Kylo, "You are not coming!" Rey looked at the big man, he was determined it was going to be just them going for a walk and she felt a little spoiled, being paid that much attention by him. On his arm, walking through the park, his chest was puffed out, almost as though he was proud to show Rey off on his arm. He was particularly friendly to all they came across, introducing Rey as though they had known each other for years.

"How long ago did your father pass away?" she asked.

"Its been 10 years since we lost him."

"And you've had to be the man of the house ever since?"

"Yes," he smiled, "although being the only man in a household full of women made me the ideal candidate wouldn't you say?"

"The ladies of your house are wonderful. Your family ... is wonderful."

"Thank you."

"I've never had a family like yours, and meeting them has made me realise how very special they are, and your house is just ... amazing!"

He stopped, taking her hand in his. He raised it to his lips and kissed the back softly, "There is something so unusual about you Rey, the way you look at the world with such wonder, even the way you talk ... I am not sure what it is but ... there is something ... " Rey found herself completely lost in his eyes. This man, this relaxed, happy man was ... beautiful, and once again feeling his soft warm lips on her skin had sent a shiver down her spine. 

A voice cut in on the moment and broke the spell, "Ah Kylo Ren and the lovely Rey." It was David. Kylo was also suddenly taken out of the moment and instantly he was uncomfortable and glaring at David menacingly. "Enjoying the glorious weather?" David asked as he made small talk to alleviate any awkward silence. He moved closer to Rey and she felt Kylo's large hand slip onto her waist, pulling her to him as he held her protectively against himself. She felt the heat of his hand burning into her, felt his hard body against hers, she could smell his aftershave. 

David immediately saw the hand on Rey's waist, "Kylo old thing, calm down, there's a good man. Rey is quite capable of looking after herself, she told me as much. And Rey, how many times must you make me suffer? How many more invites must you reject before you will bless me with your charming presence?" He smirked at Rey and she found his false charm wearing thin on her. "David!" Kylo warned, his voice a low growl. Rey was family and Kylo would allow no harm to befall her. David was suddenly backing away. One word from Kylo had been enough to frighten the man away. 

Without removing that big protective hand from her waist, Kylo turned to her, His face mere inches from hers, "If he ever causes you trouble, ever tries to harm you, tell me. I can make him go away. I can stop him, I can -- " Rey smiled at him, putting her hand on his arm, "I know you can." Now she knew what it was like to be protected by Kylo Ren, and it made her feel so warm and safe. This was the sweet, selfless, loyal man the ladies of his house loved with all their hearts, and Rey could now see why. He had let down his guard with her, let her see him as the others did and the way he made her feel by doing so, like he was her champion, she found it almost irresistible. She wanted to kiss him, right here in the glorious sunshine, in this wonderful green park. 

His hand slid from her waist and Rey felt the loss of his touch. She wanted him to touch her, to hold her, and she wondered if there would be enough time left for her to have him as she wanted to have him. She had never known a man like him, and doubted she would ever meet another like him. He who was dark and dangerous and so very handsome and gentle, and so damn sexy!

David was charming but shallow, there was something false about him. He was an actor, playing a part he thought other people wanted to see, while Kylo seemed dark and intimidating but underneath was soft and beautiful, and he stirred something in Rey she could not explain. She had never felt anything like this for anyone before, never felt so entranced by someone. It made her very anxious that this could be over in a moment, that she may never know him as she wished too. How much time did she have? What if she woke tomorrow to find Kylo gone from her life forever? She looked at him, a worried expression on her face.

"What is it?" he asked softly, half smiling as though to ease her troubled mind.

"I don't want to go." Rey said as tears began to well in her eyes.

"Oh my dear ... do not dispair. You do not have to go anywhere. You are staying with us ... with me." his voice was so soothing. He wiped the tears from her cheeks with a big white handkercheif he pulled from his pocket, and she smiled at the gentle giant in front of her. She could imagine him in jeans and a t-shirt, could see him in her own time with her. He could fit into any time, he was ageless and beautiful both inside and out.

"How long have you been alone Rey?" he asked with nothing but kindness in his deep voice.

"My father died five years ago. He left me a little money and until recently I had been getting by. But my manuscripts sit and gather dust, and life had become very difficult lately."

"You ... are a writer?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes, although wholly unpublished, but It doesn't stop me trying." 

He smiled, "It could explain why you are so unusual, there are few women writers in this world. I have something to show you back at the house," he said mysteriously.

Rey's head flicked around as she heard a flock of little birds come close and fly by, "They are so free," she whispered, half to herself.

"In their way," he said, "all of us are trapped by one convention or another, even the birds, but you ... do not seem so, he smiled. "You told David you could look after yourself?" he was smiling, as though he was impressed at her telling David that much. 

Rey laughed, "He tries too hard"

He smiled and he looked so handsome, so calm. Rey felt like wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him thoroughly. Back at the house he lead her to the only room in the house she had found was locked when she first moved in. She had wondered what was behind that heavy wooden door that Kylo was unlocking. It was not a big room, in actual fact it was Kylo's study but it had bookcases on all sides that reached up to the ceilings and it was full of books. 

"Feel free to enter and read any of these you desire." he said as he looked around the shelves of books, "I only keep it locked so Margaret wont go making a mess of my papers and such."

"Have you read all these yourself?" 

"No, some of these are my fathers mining and geological books and those are extraordinarily dry," he laughed. "But I have read a great many of these others." 

"I'll leave you to browse, there is a lot to look at in here." He made to leave her there but Rey could not stop herself, "Kylo!"

"Yes?" he answered as Rey approached him. She took his hand in hers and looked up at him, "Thank you." 

"It is nothing, these books just sit and gather dust. Someone may as well get some some use from them." 

"Not just for the books," she said softly, "for everything, for being so kind to a stranger."

"It's no more than I should have done from the start," he lamented. 

"No. You were right to be suspicious of a stranger in your home," she took a step closer to him so that they were but a few inches apart. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she stood on her tip toes and touched her lips against his. She felt the heat in her cheeks as she kissed him. He seemed a little reticent at first, and there was no response from him other than a look of surprise. Then his eyes closed and his arms were wrapping around her tightly, his lips came crushing down, soft and needy and wanting, exactly like hers. Her arms slipped around his neck and she sighed with the pleasure of him. Suddenly the door was flung open and Margaret was squealing excitedly as usual. 

They broke apart guiltily as she ran off yelling, "Kissing! Kylo was kissing Rey! Ha ha ha, Mother! Kylo and Rey are kissing!"

"Margaret! Stop!" Kylo yelled at her. He smiled at Rey as Margaret disappeared, "We have caused a minor scandal."

"It was worth it!" Rey smiled.

He kissed her hand and watched her with those dark, dangerous eyes, "It was most definitely worth it," he whispered seductively and then he was making to leave the room. "Fear not, I shall go and defend your honour my lady, and I suggest you stay here a while or you will be absolutely inundated by the other ladies of the house as they try to pry the details from you." That was all well and good but all Rey could think about now was that tall dark man and his soft lips.

The rest of the day there was a lot of giggling from Margaret, and some interesting smirks and smiles from May and Nelly. They all loved Rey, and had noticed the calming effect she was having on Kylo. They wanted their son and nephew to be happy, to have a family of his own, and May desperately wanted grandchildren more than anything. Kylo kept his distance for the rest of the day, always the gentleman, knowing Margaret would mercilessly tease them and cause a fuss if she saw them together at all. 

And as usual Rey's dreams were a mess of the present and the future, places intertwined, the old and the new joined together somehow, and always there was Kylo, or was it? 

"Kylo?"

"No, I'm Ben."


	7. Chapter 7

Margaret came screaming in to Rey the next morning, "A picnic!" she squealed. Apparently a certain family was holding a society picnic in the park and Margaret found the news to be the pinnacle of excitement. It would be held tomorrow afternoon and May and Nelly were also very excited about it. Rey could not imagine how a simple picnic could cause such Hysteria. Rey had something else on her mind that took precedence over all else, Kylo Ren. He had not been with them for breakfast as he had gone out that morning. 

Rey found him mid-morning in the music room, reading the paper. When she saw his long legs on the window seat, never did she think just a few days ago, that seeing him would fill her with pure desire. A hot aching desire for this man like she had never felt for anyone else in her life before. When she saw him on the window seat she wanted to run him but she approached him shyly, awkwardly. He dropped his paper, "Rey." he said softly, standing and taking her hand, seating her next to him on the window seat. "MAGGIE!" he called, "Tea for Rey please." He smiled, "What have you been doing this morning?"

"Oh, just reading in the garden. You went out?"

"Yes. I had an errand." Maggie arrived with the tea and Kylo poured Rey a cup. All Rey could think about was putting her hands all over him. She took a couple of sips of the tea and plonked down the teacup. She looked at him, her face all seriousness. His expression was one of concern, as though he was afraid of what she may say next. 

"I cant ... ah" she sighed, exasperated, "I'm sorry, but I can't wait!" and she found herself slipping her arms around his thick neck, her mouth on his. He kissed her and laughed, "We have all the time in the world Rey."

"No, I don't." she breathed, her lips on his throat and her fingers in his neatly combed hair. 

He pulled back and looked into her eyes, his face a little worried, "What do you mean?" 

She looked deep into his eyes and whispered against his lips, "Please don't make me wait ... please."

His expression did not change, he still looked worried but then he was kissing her, long and deep, sighing against her, hands on her cinched waist, on her throat, her jaw, and then they heard laughter, "Margaret!" he whispered, and they were quickly separating. Kylo grabbed his newspaper and Rey was sipping tea as though nothing at all had been going on. Margaret wandered into the music room eyeing them both suspiciously, "What were you doing before I came in?"

"Nothing Margaret, mind your own business there's a good girl." said Kylo from behind his paper. Rey could not stop her cheeks flushing a rosy pink and Margaret was giggling like an idiot. There was a knock at the door, and a package was delivered. It was addressed to Rey. It was an unusual shape. Large and dome like, wrapped in brown paper wrapping and string. Margaret was very excited about what it was. Rey looked at the card attached, 

'Your own little bird - Kylo' 

Rey looked at Kylo, "What did you do?" He smiled back warmly, "Just open it." Rey pulled the string, the brown paper coming loose and flapping down like a flower opening exposing a domed bird cage, complete with a pretty green feathered bird sitting on a cherry blossom. 

"Ummm ... what is it?" Rey asked, Kylo kneeled down in front of her, "Its mechanical, wind it up." He pointed to the key sticking out of the base. Rey was smiling as she wound the key in anticipation. The bird burst to life and sang its bright little song, flapping its little wings, and Rey and Margaret both started laughing. Kylo was watching Rey's face and smiling, his eyes so bright, so full of life and love. 

"I want one too Kylo!" Margaret begged. "If you got everything you wanted there would be no room to move in this house," Kylo joked, "Now go do something else, I wish to speak to Rey privately." Margaret burst out laughing. "Your going to kiss again aren't you?" "OUT!" Kylo commanded and she scurried off cackling to herself all the way. As soon as Margaret was out of sight Rey was all over him again, kissing his cheeks and his mouth. He started laughing, "Rey, slow down."

"No, I can't. Please don't stop." 

He looked into her eyes, his brown eyes so soft, so gentle, "You are making this very hard for me."

"Don't stop." she begged.

"I don't want to stop either." he smiled and Rey was sighing and moaning against his mouth, encouraging his kisses, his hands on her.

"I want you." she sighed.

"Rey, I don't want you doing anything you might regret."

"Would you regret it?"she asked.

"Of course not!"

"Well then, don't tease me." she whispered.

She was smiling as she kissed him. He seemed kind of innocent. He was holding back due to propriety and Rey found it both charming and frustrating at the same time. It was like being starving and having a delicious box of chocolates but not being able to unwrap them, and Rey desperately wanted to unwrap him. She started to feel a little guilty trying so hard to seduce him, and he was being so good about it, so controlled, so gentlemanly. And Rey was one hot mess for him. 

She pulled back and studied his face, he was so beautiful, no one compared to him, and she'd had to travel back in time just to meet him. In just a few days her feelings for this man had changed so much and gone near insane. The force of her feelings, the strength of them, it scared her. She had never really experienced love before but this was definitely it. She knew it without question because she would now do anything for Kylo. He was not nothing to her as she had told herself more than once before, he was ... everything. 

There was something gnawing at the back of her mind, something she had joked about before but now was beginning to think it was true. This house, this family and this man had been waiting for her. Something in time and space had conspired that their two souls would meet, it was meant to be, why else would this whole insane time jump thing be happening? 

"I'm sorry, I'll try to behave. I know what I am doing is wrong ..." Her voice became a whisper, "But I just can't help it with you, I feel like I have no control!" she was looking around as if she was confiding a secret to him she did not want anyone else to hear. His lips were so close to hers, and his eyes were roaming over her face, "I completely understand." his voice sounded husky, his eyes were half closed. She smiled at him and kissed his lips softly, sweetly, "You see? I'm hopeless around you." 

She stood, "I'm going to read for a while, give you some space or you will get kissed to death, and I am not even joking!" 

He looked at her strangely, " ... give me some ... space? What a strange expression." 

"I'm going," she said backing out of the room but not wanting too.

"Feel free to kiss me to death anytime you like." He smirked. She stopped in her tracks and was on the verge of leaping into his lap when May and Nelly came into view. 

"Rey, the dressmaker will be here shortly with a selection of gowns for the picnic tomorrow." May said loudly. 

"They just saved you!" Rey hissed. "How disappointing," he smirked, ' ... anytime you like, do not forget." She put her hands behind her back like a child would, her head cocked to one side as she eyed him smiling, "Oh you won't escape." And she heard his deep laugh as she swung around to meet the two ladies.

After dinner that evening the house hold retired to the music room and it turned out Margaret was the one who played piano, and for eleven years old she was quite skilled at it. The big black grand piano had been a gift to Margaret from her doting brother. Kylo danced with both his mother and Nelly as Margaret played and when he held out his hand to Rey she told him, "I don't know how to dance like that, I've never been taught."

He simply smiled and pulled her to her feet, taking her in his arms and softly instructing her of the steps and the timing. Rey stepped on his toes a few times, and they laughed at her clumsiness. May and Nelly looked on approvingly and Margaret was diligently concentrating on reading her music sheets and playing the tunes. 

Nelly asked May, "Will she do for him do you think?"

"Oh yes she will do very well for him, look at them, like two peas in a pod!"

"You would not wish him to have a wealthy wife, from a known family?"

"Oh Nelly, we are the wealthiest family in San Francisco. What more wealth could we wish for? Rey has a steady head and a kind heart, and I am convinced she would make him happy."

"Yes," said Nelly smiling, "I am convinced of that too."


	8. Chapter 8

The day of the picnic arrived and the ladies were dressed in their new gowns. Margaret could barely wait to get to the picnic, even though if it were up to her they would have arrived unfashionably early. Kylo calmed his little sister and reassured her that she would not miss out on anything today. Rey was in her room, looking at the mechanical bird in its gilded cage. This beautiful thing that Kylo had given to her made her feel so special. At the gazetted time , the group made their way over to the park, and today Kylo took Rey's arm instead of his mothers. Rey felt so proud to be on Kylos arm. He looked so very handsome and tall. and he, Rey thought to herself, is mine! 

On entering the picnic grounds Rey understood what all the excitement over a picnic was about. It was a beautiful wonderland of frilly bunting, and white lace table cloths, and beautifully dressed ladies and gentlemen, with brollies and fancy hats, mingling and laying about on the brilliant green sloping lawns. It was like a painting and all Rey could say was, "It is so beautiful." She felt like she could hardly breath. How lucky was she that she was seeing all this and was on the arm of the handsomest man in San Francisco. Much eating and walking and chatting occurred that day. Rey could see May, Nelly and Margaret having the time of their lives.

What started as a large walking party at one point ended up with Rey on David's arm. Rey thought it might be a good time to tell David to stop sending her notes. She was tired of it, and she would not have Kylo hurt by it. David babbled on and seemed slightly drunk. He was walking slower and slower and they were slipping further and further away from the main group. When they had dropped a long way back from the main group, he was pulling Rey behind a hedge. Pressed hard up against her, and she could smell the alcohol on him and felt his hot breath followed by his lips on her neck as she tried to wriggle free.

"DAVID STOP!"

"Oh come on, your old enough ... "

"DAVID!"

"We both know what you want ... "

"STOP or I will hurt you" she spat at him angrily.

"Come now, don't play hard to get, it's so bor -- OOF!"

Rey had brought her knee up hard between his legs and David had crumpled to the ground. Rey leaped out from behind the hedge and hissed at him, "You PIG! Don't you ever touch me again!" And as the words left her lips a big hand was punching David hard in the face, relentless and powerful and bloody. All hell had just been unleashed and it's name was Kylo. "Wait Kylo!" Rey yelled at him, she had just seen Margaret running towards towards them. 

"Kylo stop! It's Margaret!" Kylo stopped the merciless pounding he was giving David and dragged the man half walking, half flopping out of the park. Rey steered Margaret off before she saw anything. Kylo would not want her to see him in such a state. Rey did not see either David or Kylo for the rest of the picnic, and she worried about what Kylo might have done to David. He had been so violent, so raging with fury. Rey had never seen the like before in anyone. 

When the ladies arrived home that evening they were exhausted and quickly disappeared to their respective beds. Kylo was not seen by any of them and Rey worried about him, ringing her hands together and waiting for the others to retire, before she stole to his room. The door was open a crack and she could see him in the dimly lit room, sitting on the edge of his bed in an open white shirt and black slacks, his head in his hands, his black hair hanging messily down, covering his face. He looked so sad, so forlorn, it nearly broke Rey's heart to see him like this. She slipped into his room and closed the door behind her. The click of the lock closing made him look up.

"Rey? ... You don't want to see me." His eyes had dark shadows under them, He looked away. 

She came towards him slowly, "Yes, I do."

"I am a monster, you have seen it." he said sadly. "Sometimes I just can't ... control it. When I saw you with him, it just ... I could not stand for it. I wanted to kill him for touching you."

Rey kneeled down in front him, saw his hand bloodied and battered from the thrashing he had given David. She put her hand gently on his wrist, "David ... is he -- "

"Alive? Yes ... I put him in a surrey after I dragged him out of the park."

She gently kissed his bruised hand, "Tell me ... about Letitia."

He looked at her, tears in his deep brown eyes, then looked away, "She should not have suffered as she did." he whispered.

"Tell me," Rey urged him, "Help me understand, I want to help you ... more than anything."

He paused a moment, biting his lip, his eyes so sad and serious, "Letitia was wild. She could not obey rules. At first I thought that she ... but she had an attachment to another."

"David?"

"Yes, David, and he, well he used her horribly. I tried to stop it, tried to help her, but she would not listen. She was certain David would love her, would marry her. He did not. He abandoned the girl, pregnant and desperate, and she disappeared." Kylo's head dropped down, his face obscured by the black hair hanging down, his voice became a dry whisper, "After a long while I found her, in a slum. She was gravely ill and large with child. I stayed by her side until the sickness took her life and that of David's unborn child. Until the end she was convinced David would come for her and the baby. I did not tell Mother, it would have broken her heart."

Rey stood and he looked up at her, she brushed the soft black hair out of his tired eyes, "You are not the monster." she whispered as she pushed her way into his lap, her arm around his shoulder, her hand on his cheek. He looked back at her with surprise, with a kind of awe, "Rey ... " He tried to object. She put a finger to his lips and nodded her head 'no.'

"You have suffered long enough." she said gently as she closed her eyes and kissed him so softly, feeling his warm full lips against hers. He looked at her, his voice ragged, breaking, "Rey, I cannot fight you,' he said forlornly, his eyes desperate, hungry. "Good!" she breathed against his lips as she kissed him again, her hand in his hair. His long arms snaked around her waist, crushing her against him. She moaned feeling him against her, feeling his neediness for her.

She began tearing blindly at the buttons on her tapered jacket, as she kissed him, and he began to help her, kissing her throat as his long fingers worked the buttons open. She slipped her hands into the neck of his shirt, over his bare shoulders, touching her tongue to his lips and sighing against him. This was like a drug, made her feel so hot for him, made her mind spin. Felt frustration at how long it took to remove all these damn clothes! She finally got the jacket off and he was spinning her around, kissing her shoulders as he deftly loosened the ribbons on her corset, one hand on her stomach.

"Oh please hurry," she whispered, "I cannot wait any longer."

"I have waited for you,' he said softly.

In a daze she asked "You ... waited?"

"After I saw you that morning. You were strangely dressed. You left roses on the table, petals on the floor. So I waited, for you to come back."

Reys eyes were wide, "You DID see me. But ... how long did you wait?"

"Three months!" Rey's head swam. Three months had passed in his time between when she saw him in the music room and the day of the photo. The space of time for Rey had been one day. 

"When I saw you I knew you were different, I tried to fight it, especially after what happened with Letitia and David. I had to protect my family and I had to protect you ... from me." 

The corset came away and Rey spun around, looking deep into his eyes, 

"And who would protect you from me?" She saw his lips smile as she kissed him, long and slow. Pressing herself against him, entwining her fingers in his hair. Pulling him down on top of her on the bed, pushing the white shirt down over his shoulders, her fingers on the buttons of his pants. 

"Gods Rey," he breathed, "I had not thought you would be so ... forward."

"Oh?" Rey panted, her throat dry. She swallowed, "Want me to stop?"

"Don't you dare!" he growled. She nearly laughed out loud and would have had they not be trying to be so quiet.

He was as beautiful naked as he was fully clothed, all hard thick muscle, like some ancient Greek statue chiselled from the finest marble. More than once he stopped and gazed lovingly into her eyes, "You are so beautiful Rey," he would whisper, and all Rey could do was smile and kiss him tenderly. No one could be more perfect than this man, she thought. 

Her breast was in his mouth when he entered her and Rey had to stifle the moan that threatened to scream from her throat. She scratched at his back like a cat caught in a trap, all the while urging him on, gasping his name and enjoying him. He came long and hard, his mouth pressed against the crook of her neck, groaning her name, low and deep as he pumped his seed into her. They held each other into the night. "No, don't go," he whispered when she tried to sneak back to her own room, thinking he was asleep. He pulled her to him, kissing her and wrapping his arms around her, spooning her. Kissing her freckled shoulders, his words drifted through her mind as she fell asleep in his arms, "You are mine Rey. Stay with me ... always."

Rey woke feeling Kylo stretching under her. "Oh my God!" Rey exclaimed, "They will catch us, I have to go!" A long arm encircled her and dragged her back into the bed, against him. Pressed together in their nakedness, "Let them catch us, it changes nothing." he whispered against her throat, sliding his legs between hers, his hardness against her sex. "But your family would be horrified, scandalised." she said as she pretended to fight him off, in the end giving up just because she wanted him again so badly. He kissed her breasts, kissed her stomach and whispered, "Well, as you have now made me a fallen man the only solution is you will have to marry me. How else could the family possibly save face?" 

He looked up at her, his warm brown eyes sparkling at her devilishly. A joke, but one that made Rey feel so warm inside thinking of it. Being married to this beautiful man sounded like the most wonderful fantasy. In her world she was a nobody named Rey, alone with no family, a failed author and pauper. In this world she was cousin Lillian Rose Rey, with the most wonderful family in the world. A mother, an Aunt, a little sister and her lover, Kylo Ren, the most beautiful man in the world. She hoped this would never end. That whatever weird anomaly that had caused her to slip through time, never happened again, so that she may stay here with this wonderful family in this wonderful home.

Rey found herself in a cat and mouse game with Kylo after that first night together. They were forever stealing moments together and luring each other to out of the way places for lusty kissing and hand play. When the lights went out at night Rey would find Kylo eagerly waiting for her in his bed. He would insist she stay all night, sneaking out in the morning under protest from Kylo who threatened to follow her to her bedroom to continue their love making there. Kylo had suddenly become the happiest man in San Francisco. Margaret would tease Rey about being in love with Kylo and Rey would laugh although she could not deny it, she would just blush that tell tale rosy hue. "You have been so good for him Rey," Nelly had confided, "He has waited a long time for his own happiness." 

The next few weeks were the happiest Rey had ever had. Every day with Kylo made her want him more and more, and Kylo was besotted with Rey. He would stand and watch her with his mother and aunt and sister and admire her. He was so proud of her just for being her, telling her he would do anything for her, move heaven and earth if it pleased her. His devotion was limitless. 

One morning the rain set in. Kylo kissed Rey tenderly, gazing long and deep into her eyes as a man in love would, hardly able to drag himself away from her, but telling her he had an errand to run and would be back soon. After he had gone a raging storm lashed the city, driving rain from black sky's blotting out the sun and delivering terrifying thunder and lightning. 

A huge commotion was heard amidst the fury of the storm outside the front of the Ren house. There was yelling and screaming and suddenly the front doors were flung open and wind and rain blasted into the house along with two men who carried someone who was injured inside. The limp body was laid on the floor inside the front door by the men who went back out on search of a doctor. It was Kylo. He had been trampled by a horse in the storm. His large body badly crushed, his breathing ragged and hardly there at all.

May came screaming like a banshee, announcing the horrifying news to the rest of the house. The four women were running, crying, screaming to him as his last breaths hitched in his throat. Rey was bent over him, cradling his head in her arms, sobbing hard, her whole body shaking, "Don't leave me." she begged him as her hot wet tears splashed down onto his cheeks, "Please don't leave me Kylo, Please!" His eyes opened a little, warm and brown, even now so close to death, "Wait for me Rey ... I will find you ... " and with that he was gone.

Something snapped in Rey's mind that day. The tears came in torrents and would not stop. She cradled his lifeless body and cried bitterly, completely inconsolable. Her mind a haze of pain and sadness. The storm belting wildly against the house and her mind spinning out of control with the realisation the only man she had ever loved had died in her arms.

And then something fell from his pocket, a small black velvet box. Inside a diamond engagement ring. That had been his errand that morning, to get the ring, to ask Rey to marry him. He had died because of her and Rey's heart cracked like an eggshell, thin and weak and empty. The world broke into fragments and melted away and suddenly she was in a silent entry hall, hot tears splashing into age old layers of dust, no one there but her and her alone.

She looked around the gloomy grand staircase, the house exactly as it was before she had slipped through time, except here she sat on a dusty old floor in a very elaborate new Victorian style gown. She sat on the floor with her head in her hands and sobbed, feeling completely empty, decimated, as though someone had just ripped out her insides and left her with nothing. The pain so hard, so unrelenting and sharp.

After some time she slowly rose, and dressed in the fancy gown she looked like a ghost in the dilapidated old house. She went to Kylo's room, looking at the bed they had made love in. She ran her fingers over the old musty cover and even though she thought she had no more tears left to shed her eyes filled to the brim and spilled down her cheeks, splashing onto the old bed.

Slowly she walked to her room. The bird cage Kylo had given her still sitting on the table near the window. She walked over to it and turned the rusty old key in the base. The ancient thing came to life. The green feathers were a little faded and drooping but the song was the same. But now it sounded so bittersweet, so haunting and sad. She walked away, not being able to bear hearing it. 

Finally she made her way down to the music room. She gazed up at the portrait of Kylo, his warm brown eyes looking down at her from decades before she was even born. And yet he had been hers, and she his and for a short time everything was as it should have been, as it was meant to be. Two souls finding each other through extraordinary circumstance and realising they were meant for each other. 

"I love you." she whispered, her words breaking the numbing silence in the deserted old house. She wondered what was left for her now. She felt destroyed, utterly broken without him. She was now incomplete. She sat on the dusty window seat and wondered what became of May and Nelly and Margaret, and already she missed them dreadfully. She sat, for hours, like a ghost, like a shell of a woman with nothing left to live for. Food, drink, sleep, life, it was all pointless now. All dark and empty and hollow. 

After some time she heard a scratching sound, rusty and metallic. A key being turned in a crusty old lock. Someone was opening the front door. Rey stood and slowly walked towards it, afraid of what she might see but also afraid not to see it. The big doors opened and the light streamed in, dead leaves blew in and clattered onto the floor. Rey held her hand over her eyes to shield them from the sudden bright light. She could make out the shape of someone tall in the doorway, but her eyes were stung by the light and she could not focus through the brightness. She heard a deep voice and her mind reeled as though she had been hit in the head.

"Hello?" he asked.

And then she saw his face. Kylo! As plain as day and standing in the doorway of his house! For a second she stared before running to him, half blinded with tears, almost tripping on the long Victorian gown. She flung her arms around his waist, her cheek pressed hard against his chest, shaking with the force of her sobs against him, "Oh thank God! Kylo, thank god you are alright." She felt two long arms snake familiarly around her and she cried, "I was so afraid, so alone. There is nothing ... without you."

The arms slipped away from her and the deep voice echoed through her mind, "Umm my name ... is Ben."

Rey was completely confused. She looked up at the face she knew. It was Kylo, no doubt about it, "Kylo?"

"No, my name is Ben Solo. I own this house."

"I don't understand, your name is not Kylo Ren?"

He smiled shyly, in a state of his own confusion, "Kylo Ren was a great uncle of mine."

Rey blinked, finding it impossible to see this young man as anyone other than her beloved Kylo, and then she began to sob, "No, no, no. It can't be. You must be Kylo, you are Kylo! You told me you would find me, to wait for you, and now you have found me. Kylo you have found me." 

"I'm not sure how you even got in here. This place has been sealed up for over 100 years. Who are you?"

"My name is Rey!" she blurted out between sobs, "Lillian Rose Rey." hoping he would remember, wishing him to be Kylo, alive and beautiful and in love with her.

"Rey?" he looked at her wide eyed. Oh thank god, Rey thought, he remembers and a surge of happiness passed through her. 

"But you can't be Lillian Rose Rey, there's no way ... naaa no way."

"What do you mean? My head feels ... so strange. Please explain, I'm so confused." She felt rung out and like she might collapse at any moment.

"Lillian Rose Rey was the cousin of Kylo Ren. He was killed the day he was going to propose to her and she disappeared, committed suicide they say. It's a famous family tragedy." 

Her mind felt like it was made of a million stars and everyone of them was slowly blinking out one at a time. She stared at Ben then something caught her eye. A large photo on the sideboard. She walked up to it slowly, and wiped the dust from the frame with her fingers. It was the family portrait in front of the grand staircase. She wiped the dust to see May, Nelly, and Margaret all around the handsome Kylo and there, at his feet, was Rey. Her gown spread out like a fan. 

The world began to disolve to black. Nothing existed or ever was and she began to fall into oblivion when she felt a long, thick arm curl around her cinched waist and a deep soft voice in her ear,

"Rey!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am working feverishly on the rest of this story now. :)


	9. Chapter 9

Rey's eyes blinked open and she sat up with a start. It was a hospital, a modern hospital. She looked down and saw she was dressed in a hospital gown. Her mind spun. Why was she here, how long had she been here? The man that looked like Kylo, had he brought her here? A nurse came in, "Oh good you are finally awake. How do you feel?"

"I ... don't ... I feel OK I suppose." Rey stammered out. "Well we will have the doctor take a look at you." 

A doctor appeared not long after that. He inspected her, asked her some questions. "You have been out for three days, but we could find no head trauma. Do you remember what happened?"

"No I ... I just fell, passed out."

"It's very unusual for someone not to wake up for three days, do you remember what you were doing before you became unconscious?"

Rey's mind was already going over what had happened, tears filling her eyes. Seeing Kylo dead in her arms, his beautiful body crushed. 

"I ... don't want to talk about it." she replied.

Ben Solo was driving to the hospital. Why on earth he felt like he needed to pick that strange girl up from there he did not know. Likewise the way he had wanted to wrap his arms around her when he first saw her. What was with that? Weird as hell. Along with all the other utter weirdness. He had gone over it for what felt like a thousand times, finding that girl in the old house, dressed in that weird old fashioned clothing. What the hell was she doing in there? Playing dress ups?

When he had first seen her he had nearly had a heart attack thinking she was a ghost. He had never seen a ghost before but fuck, she looked like one in that getup. Even her hair was all fancy, all old fashioned. One thing he knew, he thought he had seen her before, in a dream. In any case, the girl was clearly unhinged, claiming to be a long lost cousin, calling him Kylo. Ben felt sorry for her. She seemed to have no one, and in that he had to admit, they were the same.

He also had no one. All his close family were gone, and he had always been a loner. But finding that strange girl in the house, he felt somehow responsible for her, even though he knew he wasn't. But she had been so upset, he had never seen such an outpouring of pure grief. In any case sane or bat shit crazy, he wanted to talk to her again and find out some answers.

Rey was sitting up in the hospital bed, staring forlornly out the window. Even in this place everything reminded her of Kylo. The Roses on the table of the bed next to her, the little birds flying passed the hospital window, the deep voice she could hear ... Her head flicked around to see Ben talking to the nurse just outside the ward, she could not hear what they were saying but she heard that deep rich tone in is voice, Kylo's voice. 

He walked in, smiling, and sat next to the bed, "Hi." 

She smiled pathetically, just looking at him made her want to burst into tears. She felt so weak.

"They say you can go home."

"Oh ... I have no home." She looked out the window again. She didn't care now what happened to her. Nothing mattered anymore.

"Well, I've come to pick you up, you can stay with me until you sort yourself out."

Rey looked back at him, her brow furrowed, "Stay with you?" Rey was finding it hard putting all the broken fragments of her mind back into their proper place. And having this exact replica of Kylo in front of her was making it even harder.

"You don't have too ..." he blurted out, "Only if that's OK, if you don't have anywhere else to go." Fuck! Why had he offered to take her to his flat he wondered. He had not planned on that. He was only going to offer her a lift to where ever she wanted to go and ask her some questions on the way. Not take her home with him. He looked at the hazel eyes, they shimmered as though close to tears again. She was pretty, this girl. Chestnut hair falling over her shoulders, freckles on her little nose and cheeks. 

He opened the cupboard next to her bed and pulled out the plastic hospital bag that contained what she was wearing when he had taken her there to the hospital. That old fashioned dress, neatly folded, along with a whale bone corset, frilly pantaloons, the dainty brocade slippers. He looked at the stuff through the clear plastic bag, it was all like new. These weren't old clothes from the house. 

"Where did you get these?" he asked holding up the bag. 

"They gave them to me."

"Who did?"

"My family."

"Your family? But I thought you said --"

"They are all gone. All ... long gone." she said so sadly it tugged at something inside him.

He looked at her, she seemed so alone. She looked like she had given up. He felt bad for her, he knew what it was like to feel so alone. When his mother had died ten years ago he been in the same position. Alone. "C'mon," he said, his hand on her wrist pulling her gently out of the hospital bed. He took off his hoody and put it on her, zipping up the front and putting the hood over her head to keep her warm. 

Rey stood staring blankly at this man who smiled at her and put his jacket on her. His aftershave was different to Kylos but the smell of him, his essence, it smelled the same, and the smell of him on his hoody gave her some comfort. They sat in silence in the car as he drove her to his apartment. 

"Where are we going?" she asked. For some reason she had it in her mind they would be going back to the Ren house. 

"To my apartment. I have a spare room."

"Oh." she said quietly. 

"Why did you come to the house that day? The Ren house?" she was looking at him. His hair was about the same length as Kylo's, but not neatly combed, quite messy. 

"I ahh, well ... " He laughed, "You know, I don't really know why. I've been looking for a new project and I suddenly thought about that place." 

"A new ... project?" 

"Yeah, you know, renovating. That kind of thing. I renovate houses."

"Oh." she said again, quietly, looking out the window once more. 

"So ... how did you get inside the house?"

She continued to stare out the window, "There was a door next to the stove in the place I was renting next door, for wood or whatever, I used that."

"You live next door?"

"I used to ... but I owed the guy rent, and well, I had no where else to go." 

"You don't have a job?"

"I ... don't have anything." Tears began to fill her eyes as she looked out of the window. She quickly wiped them away. She once did have everything, and now there was just a huge gaping wound, painful in the extreme. The only thing she wanted in the world, was long gone. He ... was long gone.

"Look you don't have to take me to your place. Just drop me off anywhere, it doesn't matter," under her breath she muttered to herself, "nothing matters anymore."

Ben glanced at her. This girl was in a bad way. Extremely depressed, and Ben did not want to be responsible for allowing her to hurt herself, "No," he said, "You will stay with me." Rey's head flicked around to stare at him, she had heard words similar to that before, from Kylo. 

The rest of the drive they sat in silence. Ben could see how fragile this girl was. Whatever weird trauma she had been through had shattered her to her very soul. She seemed broken. He threw the apartment keys on the counter and showed her the spare room. 

"Do you have any clothes you want me to go pick up? Cos that hospital gown ain't the greatest of looks." he joked. 

Rey gazed half lifeless around the room, a bed, a small bedside table. There were some plastic containers stacked up full of various items, "In the Ren house, " she replied. There is a room on the top floor, all my stuff is in there." 

"Hey no worries. I have a few small jobs to take care of first, so Ill go get your things on the way home. Sound good?" she shrugged her shoulders as though she didn't really care either way. He turned on the TV, "TV here and help yourself to food or whatever, drinks, coffee, tea."

"Tea?" she looked at him, "What kind?"

"English breakfast, you know, black tea. It's the only kind I like." he was smiling.

Rey was frowning, "You don't like tea?" he asked. 

"Love it, yes. Love black tea."

He smiled, "Awesome, well make yourself at home, I wont be long." He was a little concerned leaving her alone for too long so he decided to just quickly grab her things so he could get back quickly. Arriving at the Ren House, he turned the big old fashioned key in the lock of the front door. Before he had walked into this old place a few days ago he had envisioned gutting it. He had imagined it to be an empty wreck inside but it was more like a mausoleum. A museum to a time gone by. 

He knew the story. When his great, great, great uncle Kylo Ren had died his family had closed the place up. Their grief had been so deep they left it all as it was. They had intended coming back some day but the pain of his loss had been so very great, they never had. And so the family home had sat, neglected and forgotten until now. He liked the place, he knew it immediately. It was such a great example of Victorian architecture and everything inside it was amazing. He had not had a chance to explore the day he had opened the old place up. He had ended up taking Rey to the hospital that day. 

Today he looked around, the amazing and imposing grand staircase looking like a movie set for Gone With The Wind. He peered down the hallway and saw a piano. He headed toward the room, his footsteps muffled on the dusty old rugs. The room was very dark, so he slipped long fingers between the old curtains and opened them just a crack. The light streamed in and illuminated the full length portrait behind the piano. Ben looked up at it. Holy shit! That guy looks just like me! He thought in amazement. 

Was this Kylo Ren? The guy Rey had been going on about? Except she had been acting as though she actually knew the guy, like he was still around. And this old guy ... he most definitely was not still around. This guy was just a memory. Ben had never seen any photos of Kylo Ren, but his mother would tell him he had the look of the Ren family, and now he understood what she had meant. 

He studied the portrait. Like looking in a mirror he thought, so bizarre. It was disconcerting to see his own eyes staring back at him from a painting that was over 100 years old. Pulling himself away he headed upstairs, opening doors as he went, glancing into rooms looking for the one with her stuff in it. He came to a bedroom with a bird cage sitting on a table near the window and wanted a closer look. He looked at the sad looking little green bird, sitting on a branch of faded flowers. This thing was amazing. He saw the key and turned it. The bird burst to life, flapping its wings and singing a tune he knew. He didn't know how he knew the song, but he did. 

He was about to take the bird cage with him but changed his mind at the last minute realising he had been totally distracted. Finding the small room with the sleeping bag on the floor and the laptop on the table, he hurriedly gathered up Rey's things and shoved them into the empty backpack he saw on the floor near the bed. Running downstairs, he turned before closing the door and looked behind him, he could imagine living in this old house, it had such character. Spying the old photo on the hall stand he snatched it up, with a view to studying it later, and then the door closed behind him the old house was once again in silence.

On arriving home he found Rey slumped down on the couch asleep, her slim legs poking out of her hospital gown, her arms around one of the cushions on the couch. He decided not to wake her, the poor girl was clearly exhausted, so he threw a blanket over her and started to put together some dinner. As he did he whistled the mechanical birds song to himself absent-mindedly.

"That song!" he heard Rey's sleepy voice, 

"Huh," he turned and looked at her. 

"How do you know it?"

"Oh I uh, not sure really. I must have heard it when I was a kid. Ive always known it." 

Rey stared at him as he worked in the kitchen. That song was such a quaint, old fashioned tune, it was not something any kid would hear. He handed her a plate of delicious smelling stir fry, and even though she didn't feel like eating her stomach grumbled at the smell of the food, "Thank you." she said meekly as he handed it to her. She looked for all the world like someone so lost, and again something about her clawed at him, "Hey no worries." he answered quite jovially.

"No, not just for the food. For everything you have done for me. I feel ... very guilty for being such a burden, and I know ... I must sound like a lunatic. I'll go tomorrow."

He looked at her with genuine concern, "Well ... there's no need to rush. My spare room is empty and you will make me feel bad if you just take off with no where to go. Besides whatever happened to you ... seems like it was a big thing. "Why am I trying to convince her to stay for fuck sake? He asked himself. I don't even know this chick. Still he couldn't shake the feeling it would be wrong to let her go, what if something happened to her in this state? She was so small and so sad looking, so helpless. 

He jumped up, "Oh hey, I bought something from the house. You were looking at it before you fainted that day," and he pulled out the old photo, wiping down the frame and the glass, he handed it to her, "that girl in the front, she even looks like you." 

Her face lost all its colour, she became so pale all of a sudden holding the photo in her hands. She squeezed her eyes shut, "No ... I can't look at it." 

"Do you ... know who they are?"

"Yes." she said quietly

He smiled, "Well would you like to tell me? Because I dont know."

She handed back the photo without looking at it again, "The lady on the right is Mrs May Ren, the one on the left is her sister, Nelly Ren. The little girl in the white dress is Margaret Ren, May's daughter and the man on the chair ... is Kylo Ren." She squeezed her eyes shut again, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to pour out of her. 

"And the girl in the big dress at the front?"

"She ... she's just a distant cousin."

"Wow, really? How do you know all that?" He was examining the photo closely.

"I ... had a chance to study the family, for a book I'm writing." she lied.

"Your ... a writer?" he looked surprised. 

"Failed writer, yes." 

"And your writing a book about my family? Wow, that is so cool."

"Do you ... know anything about what happened to the family after Kylo Ren ... "

"After he died? Well I'm not sure, other than they moved away after that, but the little girl Margaret is my great, great, great Grandmother."

Rey looked at Ben wide eyed, "You are Margaret's grandson?" she stared at him, "Of course you are," she whispered to herself. It somehow felt comforting to know Margaret had children. May must have loved that she thought. It sent a wave of violent emotion through her that made her feel sick, but she somehow held it back, not wanting to look completely hopeless in front of this man that had been so patient and kind to her.

A little later that night she silently sobbed herself to sleep. Her dreams were a nightmare of a jigsaw puzzle, a stew of memories swimming into each other and crashing over each other.

"Rey?" The deep voice asked.

"Find me ... please." She whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

Rey woke in the morning to a knocking on her bedroom door, "Yeah?" she said as the door opened a crack and Ben was asking, "You want a cuppa tea?"

"Yes!" she answered and Ben saw that smile and it gave him a little hope that maybe she was improving. When she walked out of the bedroom in jeans and a t-shirt, with her hair in a pony tail, she seemed a lot less strange to him. She looked like a normal person instead of some weirdo in old fashioned clothing. She was slim and very pretty and he wondered what she would be like if she had not just been through some tragedy. 

She took a sip of the tea, "Oh my god, that's good tea." she enthused, her eyes closed, savouring the hot beverage. Ben could see the pleasure in her expression and felt pleased that the tea made her feel a little better. Rey sipped her tea and wished that he would somehow miraculously remember. Remember their all consuming passionate love, remember her. But he did not, and she found it hard to see his handsome face without feeling the deepest pain and yet she wanted to look at him, to see Kylo, the love of her life. Ben stood in the kitchen, and she sat on a stool on the other side of the kitchen bench and they watched each other while they sipped their tea. Two minds trying to work each other out. 

"Did you decide to renovate the Ren House?" she asked, hoping he would say no. She prefered the house to remain as she remembered it, as the family she had loved had lived in it so long ago.

"Maybe ... I haven't decided yet. It would be a big job and expensive depending on how run down the old place is. Plus there's all that old stuff in the house --"

"Your not going to get rid of it are you?" Rey interrupted in alarm. Ben immediately saw how upset the mere thought of emptying out the old place. What was it with her and the old joint? And he still didn't know why she had been in the place, dressed like something out of a period drama.

"Rey, why did you call me Kylo?" As soon as the name had left his lips he saw what could only be pain in her eyes, and he immediately regretted mentioning it.

"If I told you, you would think I was insane." she replied quietly.

He leaned down on the kitchen counter on his elbows in front of her, with his mug of tea in his hands, "Try me." he said softly. The old photo was laying upside down on the counter. She turned it over and pointed to the girl sitting in front of Kylo Ren, "This photo was taken three weeks ago, and that girl, is me." Ben looked at the photo then back at Rey, not saying a word. "You see? I told you it sounds completely crazy, because it IS crazy. I know it's crazy but it DID happen." Rey was adamant. Ben looked into Rey's eyes. She seemed very depressed, yes, but she didn't come across as crazy. That story however was completely nuts! Even if the girl in the photo did look like her, disturbingly so.

"Would you like to explain to me exactly how that could have happened?" he asked gently.

"No. I don't want to talk about it. I can't get it back. It's all gone, and now I have to somehow accept that."

"Get what back?" he asked.

"Him." she answered softly.

She looked so sad now that Ben had a strong urge to hug her. Whatever had really happened had broken this girl, and whoever this Kylo really was, the man had decimated this pretty girl. He watched her squeeze her eyes shut as though as though she were trying to shut out some terrible memory. Her long lashes resting on her lightly freckled cheeks. Something about her face was familiar, calming. Her eyes seemed like the eyes of someone he had met before but could not quite place. 

"Thanks for letting me stay last night. I'll take off shortly." She said, forcing a smile over the obvious pain she was trying to fend off. Something in Ben was setting off alarm bells. Why did he feel so worried about her? Whatever it was, he couldn't ignore it, "I might have a job for you if you want it." he found himself saying out of the blue.

Rey's ears pricked up, "A job? Doing what?" 

Ben saw a spark in those sad hazel eyes that he had not seen before, and it gave him some hope that maybe she wasn't completely crushed inside, "Yeah, well, usually I work alone ... but if I took on the Ren house I might need a hand with it. You would help me out by running errands, ordering what I need, get my lunch ...I'm joking about the lunch bit," he laughed, "If you like you could even help me with the actual reno, but you would get yelled at ... a lot ... not even joking." and he laughed again and watched Rey smile.

He was taken with how bright her face looked when she smiled and how she went from pretty to beautiful with that one small facial expression. Rey was thinking that if she worked for Ben, she would get to spend time in the house, at least until the job was finished. She had also not forgotten that she desperately needed money. She eyed him, "Umm ... yeah, that would be great actually, thanks."

Great! He thought to himself. Now I have an assistant I don't need. But already a sense of relief had washed over him, knowing she wouldn't just disappear as fast as she had arrived in his life, "Your more than welcome to stay in the spare room for as long as you like." He had nearly said 'Until you find somewhere else' but decided to omit that. He didn't want her to think he wanted her gone. 

"Of course I'll be a shit head to live with," he said smiling, "I've lived alone forever, so probably expect even more yelling." he joked. "If ... you feel up to it, we can go to the house tomorrow. I'll need to inspect the old place thoroughly to begin with." 

"Yeah," she smiled, "That would be great." She seemed quite enthusiastic, and Ben was happy he had broken through that dreadful melancholy that had been consuming her. In truth he had been reticent to take on such a massive job as the Ren house, but once again he found himself changing his plans to accommodate this strange, sad girl.

"Will you ... be OK to go back there?" he asked softly.

"Yes. I want to go back. I love that old house." She smiled, and he found he himself was also liking the old place more and more, and it had to do with the pretty girl that he was turning his life upside down for.

There was a knock at the door, and Rey heard Ben talking to someone, the voice was that of another male. Then he was back and introducing her to his good friend Terry. Apparently they had been friends since they were kids, and Rey could see how surprised Terry was finding her in Ben's apartment. Terry was shorter than Ben, which wasn't unusual seeing as Ben was taller than most other people. Terry wasn't a bad looking guy, olive skin, nice smile, and seemed friendly enough.

He stayed a little while and on the way out, when it was just Ben and Terry, Terry was nudging Ben's arm, "When did you meet her?" he asked wide eyed.

"Met her by accident, just helping her out." Ben replied.

"Oh yeah? She's hot man, good work!"

"Yeah, she's hot." Ben smiled.

"When was the last time you had a lady friend Benny boy? It's been that long I can't even remember."

"She's not my girlfriend." Ben said.

"Jesus man, treat yourself." Terry urged enthusiastically.

"She's not that kind of girl." Ben stated.

"Whoa Ben! I didn't mean anything by it." 

"No, I know man. It's just ... she's different." Ben said quietly.

Terry smiled at his friend. The big streak had stayed single for years, then out of nowhere he's got this gorgeous girl living with him. Ben had never been one for casual flings. If he had a girl in his apartment, that girl mean't a great deal to him, "It's about time you sorted your shit out." Terry joked, and they both laughed heartily at that.

"Rey, I'm going out for most of the day, so make yourself at home." Ben told her. He had jobs to do but he found himself reluctant to leave her. It was just, he found he wanted to spend time with her. He didn't know if it was to look after her or just ... to be near her. Why was the pull to her so strong, so hard to resist? And why did he get that weird, gnawing pain in his gut when he thought about perhaps never seeing her again.

That night when he got home, he was relieved to find Rey still in the apartment. It had gone through his mind that she might leave while he had been working and it filled him with a kind of dread that he might find his apartment empty when he got home. He happily prepared a meal for them both and of course the requisite cup of tea afterwards. Knowing that he would at least elicit a smile from her with hot tea, no matter what kind of a mood she might be in.

"Ready for tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Well, you can write down all the stuff I'm going to need to restore that place."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, it's just the first stage. Lot more hard work involved after that, so enjoy the easy jobs while you can." He winked at her and it made Rey smile. He was being so kind to her, and she was little more than a stranger to him, she thought.

"Thanks again Ben," she said softly, "You've been so kind to me, and I must seem like a freakin basket case. I'm surprised you didn't just call the cops, finding me in your house like that."

"I don't think your a basket case, I think ... you've been through something terrible."

"It was terrible, yes. But before that it was wonderful, the most amazing thing that had ever happened to me ... but now I have to put it all behind me."

They were sitting on the couch as they talked and Ben found himself touching Rey's arm, trying to reassure her, "You will get passed it." He had a strong inclination to pull her to him, to wrap his arms around her as he had done the day he found her, and tell her he would be there for her, that he would take care of her and that she did not have to worry.

Ben was well off. He had been left what was left of the family fortune, plus properties such as the Ren house when his mother had died, and since that time he had occupied himself by renovating and selling houses, and he was very good at it. He liked the work, and it showed through in the quality of his completed renovations. 

Money was not an issue for Ben Solo, but he was not an ostentatious man. He drove a second hand car, and lived in a modest apartment, and until now he had never met a woman like Rey that clawed at him so. He had a strong, gut feeling about her. That he should not let her go, and it surprised him. He'd had girlfriends before, but had never felt so deeply about any of them. In fact once they had gone from his life he had been happy about it.

He had been alone now for quite some time, and that had not bothered him much until Rey had come along. Now suddenly he felt like one half of a whole, and that Rey was the other half. He knew it was crazy to be thinking that about someone he had only just met, but there had also been those dreams. He had seen this girl before he realised, twice.

Once he'd had a dream he was in an old house, standing at the top of a large staircase. He had watched her walk in, had held out his hand to her, and as he had opened his mouth to ask her who she was, he had woken up with a start. The next time he saw her, he was out the front of an old house, and saw her walking towards him. She had called him Kylo, he had explained his name was Ben, and then she was gone.

Once he saw the Ren house it had shaken him to his core. This was the same house as his dreams, and when he had opened the front door and seen what looked like a full bodied ghost of the woman from his dreams he had nearly had a heart attack. It had been so eerie, the girl from his dreams, dressed as he had seen her. He had told himself he was mistaken about his dreams. That it wasn't the Ren house, the the girl wasn't Rey, but he knew deep down, she was the beautiful girl he had seen, who he had wondered if she was real.

That she was damaged did not matter to him. He could see through that, and it just made him want to help her and protect her more than ever. it seemed instinctive, natural. He wondered if Rey had seen him in her dreams, but by the sounds of it she had only seen Kylo Ren, not Ben, and that hurt a little. She seemed obsessed with this Kylo character, deeply in love with him. But how could she be? Kylo Ren had died 142 years ago, in 1876. She had inferred that she had somehow gone back in time, that she was the girl in the photograph, and she did look uncommonly like that girl, just as Ben himself looked like the man in the portrait. 

There were a lot of strange coincidences in her story, that somehow made him feel there was a certain amount of destiny involved here. That the two of them had been brought together for a reason. In any case he found her very attractive, with her pretty freckled nose and big hazel eyes. Would she ever get over Kylo? He hoped so, more than anything. 

Ben found himself thinking of Rey often, and when he went to sleep that night he fantasised about what it would be like to kiss those soft, pink lips, and to have her in his bed, with his hands all over that sexy little body of hers. He felt a little guilty fantasising about her when clearly, she was a long way from recovered from whatever ordeal she had been through, but hell! If she wouldn't get out of his head, what else could he do? He would wait for her, he thought. Wait for her to forget Kylo Ren. Wait for her to see him, Ben. And he hoped to God she would eventually see him, or he didn't know what he would do.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning Ben was pleased to see Rey was keen to get going. He made them both breakfast and watched her smiling and asking him questions about the day ahead. Every day her eyes were a little bit brighter than the day before, a little less sad. 

At the Ren house they walked from room to room, and Rey jotted down the things he said he would need as they went along. At first she had been quiet and sad, but Ben urged her to concentrate on the task at hand, and as she buckled down she cheered up as she was distracted from wallowing in her own sad thoughts about the place, and Ben was careful to keep talking to her, keeping her mind occupied, making sure she had no time to slip back into that melancholic state. 

That was until they came to the music room. As soon as they walked in, he saw Rey's eyes glaze over. She was staring at the portrait of Kylo Ren. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Rey!" he said gently.

"I know I shouldn't look at it ..." she admitted.

"I could take it down --"

"NO! Please don't." she pleaded, as hot tears rolled down her cheeks.

Ben stood in front of her, blocking her view of that painting, and wrapping his arms around her, squeezing her too him. Her face was pressed against his chest as she sobbed, "I think we should go." he said softly.

"I'm sorry," she said sadly, "I thought it would be OK ... until I saw him."

"I don't understand Rey, how can you be in love with him? He has been dead for more than 140 years."

"I just was," she said, "and he loved me, and we ... were going to be married."

"But ... how?"

"I don't even know myself, and now with every day that goes by, it seems even less likely that it happened at all. The whole thing slips further and further away from me."

"Will you tell me about it?" his voice almost a whisper against her hair as he held her tightly.

"You wont believe me."

"Maybe it doesn't matter if I believe you. Maybe you just need to tell someone what happened to get it out of your system."

Rey looked up into his warm brown eyes. Ben was a beautiful person just as Kylo had been, and Rey knew it would be so easy for her to love him as she had Kylo, but the guilt of even thinking that, of betraying Kylo's love by moving on so quickly after what they had shared. It ate her up inside and she pushed the thought out of her mind. "I'll tell you," she said softly, "but not here, it would be too painful."

"I think it will help you." he said, not wanting to let her go, although reluctantly he did, but kept one big hand on her shoulder, to direct her out of that room, "Wait for me at the front door." he instructed. As Rey headed off, Ben glanced at the portrait. He felt a little angry at this man for affecting Rey the way he did, and Ben was resentful that this long dead man was preventing his happiness with the girl that he had such intense feelings for. "Just let her go." he said under his breath, and Kylo Ren stared back through time at him, his perpetually sad eyes never ceasing to look into the future. 

As the pair stepped out of the front door, they heard a voice call out, "Rey Kenobi?" It was Rey's former landlord. "You owe me a lot of money Rey." he stated. "I know, I can't pay it right now --" she started to explain. Her landlord cut her off, "There is a court order against you. If you can't pay you realise you could be sent to jail?" Ben immediately felt the anger rising inside him, "Hey! Back off! She isn't well."

Rey was interjecting, "Ben, no, he's right. I do owe him money. It's my fault not his." Her eyes were still teary from the encounter with the portrait, but Ben was incensed, "You need to leave her alone!" he was near shouting at the man. "Ben, stop. It's not his fault." She had a hand on Ben's arm, trying to pull him back as he towered menacingly over the man. "Just go yeah?" Ben warned him, and the landlord was quickly scurrying away, taking fearful glances at the intimidating Ben as he left.

"Ben, it's ok," she soothed, "It doesnt matter." But Ben was still raging,"What an arsehole! He can see your not well. I should have knocked his damn teeth down his throat!"

"Don't worry about it," she said pulling his arm so he was facing her. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it, "I think you scared the poor guy half to death." she said smiling. It reminded her of Kylo, the way Ben was so protective. Ben could not help but smile back at Rey, he felt like he had very little control of himself when it came to her. Back at the apartment, Ben made them tea and they sat together on the couch, "Tell me Rey," he implored her, "tell me what happened to you ... please."

Rey sat and told him the entire story, about the ghostly apparitions she had seen in the house prior to what happened, about the storm, about the ladies in the Ren house. She even told him about about the cad David Radbourne, and even though she knew it was completely unbelievable, she did feel better finally being able to tell someone about it all. By the end she was sobbing and Ben was pulling her into his embrace. 

Her story was definitely crazy, he thought to himself, but he could see she whole heatedly believed it had happened completely. The things that peaked his interest were the details. The names, the full description of the house and the family, and the world as it had been. Rey was a writer, not an historian, and yes she could have looked up all that stuff on the internet, but the detailed way she described it, was so strange. He pulled back to look at her, wiping her tears away with his thumb and smiling, "Do you feel better?"

"A little." she sniffled, and it was true, letting it all out had helped, but the thing making her feel better more than anything was being in Ben's arms. It made her feel she wasn't alone anymore and another wave of guilt washed over her. Ben gazed into her hazel eyes and wanted to kiss her so badly it made him ache inside. Instead he smoothed the stray hair behind her ears and smiled at her. She was perfect, he thought, and even though at the moment she was fragile, she was still smart and beautiful, and if only she could ever love him the way she had loved Kylo Ren, he'd never want for anything else ever again.

"Let's watch some shit on Netflix and do fuck all for the rest of the day." he suggested, and Rey let out a little laugh, "That sounds fantastic." She found herself ensconced on that couch, pressed up against him, with his long arm around her for the rest of the day. Whenever she got up for anything, as soon as she had returned, Ben would quickly pull her into his arms again, and Rey let him. Even though the guilt lingered, being so close to him made her feel safe and loved and happier than she had been for days. Ben did not know why this girl made him feel so happy. She was like the sun, shining brightly on him, warming him, clearing his mind, and having her in his arms like this felt right. It felt like this was how it was always supposed to be, and he had just been waiting for her to appear in his life and shine her radiance upon him. 

Terry turned up that night and stayed for dinner. Rey liked Terry. He was funny, and easy going and she could see a great friend to Ben, and Terry was keenly interested in this new girl in Ben's life. He had never seen Ben so enthralled in someone. Ben had a famous temper. Terry had seen it numerous times before. It usually sat just below the surface, simmering away, ready to burst forth at any moment. Ben did not suffer fools, and was quick to put people in their place, more as a punishment for their own stupidity than anything else.

But this girls presence seem to calm Ben. Took the edge off him. Terry could see Ben was thinking of Rey rather than himself. Not that Ben was in anyway a selfish man. But after Ben's mother had died, he had suffered, and it came out as anger. Anger at being left so alone in the world with no other family to speak of. Terry watched Ben, who always had either his arm around Rey or was holding her hand. Even as they ate dinner, Ben would occasionally pat Rey's arm, asking if she wanted or needed anything. It was plainly obvious to Terry that Ben was head over heels in love with Rey. He was absolutely obsessed with her, and he doubted Rey was out of Ben's thoughts for even a second.

And Rey, well, she seemed sad yes, and Ben had told Terry she had just been through some tragic affair, although he did not know the details, but the way she looked at Ben, the obvious trust she had in him, it was as if these two had known each other for years. Ben encouraged Rey to take a long hot shower after dinner because it would relax her, and while she was out of the room Ben and Terry spoke in whispers about her. 

"Rey told me the weirdest fucking story man." Ben confided.

"Oh yeah? How weird?" Terry asked with great interest.

"Lets just say, if I told you, you would never believe it. I mean, I don't believe it but fuck! the details made it sound so real, and check this shit out." Ben shoved the old photo into Terry's hands, "Look at the guy in the middle and the girl on the floor in the big dress." 

Terry stared at the photo, "Fuck man! That guy ... exactly like you! and that girl ... there is no way that's not Rey ... wait a minute, did you guys go have one of those old time photo's done? Where they dress you up and make it look old?"

"That photo was taken in 1876!" Ben informed him.

Terry sat and stared at it. "Your joking right? You have got to be joking. Cos there is no way that's not you and Rey in that picture."

"Nope, no joke. How fucking crazy is that?"

Terry kept staring at the photo, "Oh my god that is so weird! These people ... they are dead ringers for you two, doppelgangers." Terry couldn't drag his eyes away from what he was seeing, "You know, it's almost like ... this might sound really dumb, but it's kind of like fate that you met her."

"Yeah," Ben said, "I know. It really feels like that hey." Ben pulled out his phone and showed Terry a picture he had taken of the portrait, "This is a painting inside the house. This guy died in 1876."

"What the actual fuck? But ... it's you!" Terry's eyes were wide, "If it was anyone else showing me this shit I just wouldn't believe it." Terry stared at the portrait, "So whats her story then?"

"I'll tell you, but don't let Rey know that you know. I don't want her getting all upset over it again. It really tore her up when she told me." and Ben gave Terry a quick run down of what Rey had told him. Terry was understandably incredulous, "You think maybe she has mental issues?"

"No," Ben stated, "That's just it, other than that ridiculous story, she seems perfectly normal. There's something else, and this is totally fucking weird as well."

Terry stared at Ben,"Something even weirder? What the fuck man, spill it!"

"When I found her, she was in that dusty old house that's been closed up for more than 140 years, AND you should have seen the shit she was wearing."

"What the hell was she wearing?"

"She was dressed in a Victorian style get up, a big fancy dress, with the shoes and bloomers and corset and all of it, and it was all like new. This stuff was the real deal. Just like the girl in the photo."

"What the fuck? That sounds insane."

"When I walked in the front door of the old place, she came running at me, throwing her arms around me and crying her eyes out, calling me Kylo."

"Jesus!" Terry exclaimed, "So what do you think about it all?"

"I just don't know. The weirdness level is off the scale. I felt really sorry for her, she was so cut up at the time. Even today, she broke down seeing the old mans portrait. I mean, she totally believes it all happened."

"Well she's a writer," Terry said, "Maybe she just got totally caught up in her own story, but that seems mental in itself."

"Yeah well, I've got no explanation for it. All I know is she believes one hundred percent that it all happened. That somehow she went back in time and had actually been there, and everything Rey told me matches up with the story my mom told me about great uncle Kylo and the girl named Rey."

Terry was silent for a short while, musing over the whole thing, "You ever thought about reincarnation?" he asked.

Ben laughed, "No, I havent."

They heard Rey coming out of the bathroom, and Ben whispered to Terry, "Remember, don't say anything." Terry nodded, "All good man."

Later that night, once Terry had left, Ben pulled Rey into his arms again on the couch, and as they watched TV he thought about Terry's reincarnation suggestion. Ben had always thought reincarnation was bullshit, but hell, there had to be some explanation, and right now reincarnation sounded no weirder than what he had already seen and heard that week. By now Rey had fallen asleep against him, her arms around his waist, and her head on his chest. He softly kissed the top of her head and could hardly remember what his life had been like without her, in fact he didn't want to remember. The girl that shone like the brightest star was here in his arms and he was determined to never let her go.


	12. Chapter 12

Over the next few weeks Ben began work on the Ren House, and although he was loath to be without her, he ordered Rey to stay at the apartment. She had asked him more than a few times if she could go with him, but she had begun writing again and Ben thought it was better for the time being that she stay away from that portrait while she was still in a fragile state. 

Ben wanted to restore this house for Rey, but there was something else. Something about the old place called to him. As soon as he had set foot in the place he had felt like he knew it somehow, even though he had never been there in his life. It seemed like home and he wanted to be there and he wanted to be there with Rey. It felt right, and his heart told him it was what he should do.

He'd had a recurring dream ever since he had started work on the place. He dreamed he was walking through the house and it looked like it must have when it had been lived in, and it made him feel joyful seeing it in that state. He would feel someone take his hand as he walked from the music room to the grand staircase, and when he looked it was a young girl, the girl from the old photograph in her white dress. She would smile at him and he would smile back and he would feel so much love for this girl even though she was a stranger to him. 

The girl would laugh and talk, but he could never quite make out what she was saying, and he couldn't help but keep smiling at her. When they came to the grand staircase the little girl would be gone, and when he looked up he would see Rey, in that same gown he had found her in, her hair in ringlets. Rey would be smiling so sweetly, "Kylo." she would say. "No," he would answer, "I'm Ben." He would watch her nod her head in agreement as she held out her hand to him. He'd climb the stairs and when their hands touched, the surroundings faded and he had the most profound feeling of the deepest love for her. The dream would fade, but the feeling would remain.

Rey found herself constantly worrying. Worrying about the money she owed her landlord. How would she ever pay the thousands she owed him? She was certainly not going to ask Ben for the money after all he had done for her, besides, who was to say he could even afford to pay that. Most of all she worried about Ben. She worried she was a burden on him, and she knew she had grown too close to him. But every night it was so hard to resist snuggling up to his large frame on that couch, smelling his scent and feeling his warmth. She felt so damn guilty that she felt too much for Ben, way too much. It was obvious he cared for her, but still, how could she betray Kylo so soon after she had lost him?

But Kylo was long gone, lost in time and her memory now, and Ben, wonderful, kind, handsome Ben was here with her, and that pull to him was nearly irresistible. She had felt that same pull before with Kylo. Sometimes she would fantasise that Ben was Kylo reincarnated, but if that were true, Ben would be unlikely to ever be aware of that, and besides, Ben was his own person, and it seemed very unfair to believe this beautiful man was anyone other than Ben Solo. Rey did not want to hurt him, and she knew if she kept clinging on to her memories of Kylo, Ben would suffer, and he did not deserve that.

One morning the rain had set in, and Ben was busy making them both breakfast as he did every morning. "You know, I can make us breakfast sometimes," Rey offered, just as she had offered in the past. "I like doing it," he smiled, but what he had meant was, he liked doing it for Rey. "I'm going to stay at the Ren house tonight." he announced, watching her over the rim of his cup, waiting to see what kind of a reaction that statement got. Rey's gut dropped and suddenly the idea of being apart from Ben for a night sounded utterly horrible. "Your ... not coming home tonight?" Rey asked quietly, she was trying so hard not to look disappointed but ended up looking decidedly so.

"Well ..." he paused, wondering if what he was about to suggest was a terrible idea or not, "I was going to suggest you come and stay with me. But only if you feel up to it." Rey was quick to respond, and it had nothing to do with going to the Ren house, "Yes!" she breathed a sigh of relief. At least when he was away during the day she knew he would be coming home at night, but a whole night apart from him? The thought of him not being in the apartment that night had made Rey realise how adrift, how lonely she would be without him. 

"Are you sure?" he asked concernedly, "After the last time ... well, you know how upset it made you, and seeing as you haven't been back there since ... "

"Nope, it's all good. I promise you I will be fine." she beamed. Ray was now determined not to let the past get to her, and she did miss the old house. Ben saw that glorious smile light up her beautiful face and was lost for words for a moment or two. Where the hell had she been his whole life? And thank god she was here now. If she had declined the offer he was quite prepared to cancel the whole thing. There was no way he was going to spend a night apart from her if he didn't have to.

"OK, well I've cleaned out a lot of the house. The old furniture and things are in storage until I can get them cleaned and restored. We can camp on the floor tonight. There's a huge storm blowing in and I didn't want to drive home in it tonight. There is still no power until I can get it wired, but I have a petrol generator that will give us lights and some heat tonight. Are you going to be OK with that?" he asked, still watching her every reaction.

"Yeah," she laughed, "I'm used to sleeping on the floor." He chuckled at that. She seemed so much stronger now than when she had been at the house last, and even though some doubt still lingered in his mind over whether this was a good idea or not, he felt quite confident that she was much less likely to be affected by the place now.

When they pulled up Rey saw her landlord coming out of the house next door and she cringed. She felt so damn bad about not being able to pay the man his money. When Ben went inside the Ren House Rey hung back so that she could talk to her landlord. She felt the need to apologise to him yet again, even though it wouldn't save her from the court proceedings that would be imminent against her. He was after all, a nice man, a kind man, and her treatment of him ate at her.

The landlord was getting into his car when Rey approached him. "I'm so sorry." she said. "For what?" he smiled. Rey stared at him, why was he smiling? Surely he would be anything but happy with her. "For the money I owe you. I didn't mean for that to happen. I've been so unfair to you." The landlord stared at her blankly, "But it's been paid."

Rey stared at him, her brow furrowed in confusion, "But I didn't ... It's been paid?" 

"Didn't you know? It was paid in full a while back. Anyway, nice to see you again Rey. Take care now." he said as he started his car and drove away, leaving Rey by the side of the road, mouth agape. There was no doubt in her mind who had paid out her debt. She owed Ben Solo so much, and now she owed him this as well. Walking inside the house, it was like a shell without all its old furnishings. The windows were open and bare without their heavy old curtains, and the place was relatively dust free now. But even though it was empty and full of echos, it still felt like home to her, still had that welcoming feeling about it. 

Rey wandered around the empty house while Ben was setting up beds for them upstairs. She steeled herself as she walked to the music room. She could already see it was empty as she looked down the passage towards it. The big black piano was still in the room but was covered by a drop cloth. When she entered the music room she looked up, Kylo was gone. His portrait was in storage, along with all the other paintings. 

She felt the stab of not seeing him staring down at her, but being in this house, with the memories of the past so strong here, she also felt a slight sense of relief that he was not there for the time being. It gave her a little breathing room. She had known something for a little while now, but had not wanted to admit it to herself. She was in love with two men, one alive and one long dead. 

She heard Ben calling to her from upstairs, so she made her way up the stairs and found him in what was once May's room, now bare of all furnishings. There was a double blow up mattress on the floor made up with bedding. "You can have this room," he said, "I'll be down the hall. That room there." Ben pointed to Kylo's room. Rey stared at him, "What made you pick that room?" "Umm, no reason. Just picked it at random." he replied, "Why's that?" he asked. "Oh, no reason." she replied, as she walked downstairs with him.

"I'm going to be sanding back the banisters today. It's a big job. You can help if you like, but if you want to keep writing that's fine with me." he smiled. Rey looked into his warm brown eyes, and fought the urge to kiss him, as she had been doing for some time now. How this gorgeous man could not already be married with heaps of kids was beyond her.   
Ben cranked up the generator and over the sound of the thing chugging away, played some music while the pair of them began sanding away, talking and laughing over the din as it echoed through the empty rooms and passages of the old place. Rey felt genuinely happy. Being in the house with Ben, laughing as she had once done here before, felt so good. 

The weather during the day got steadily worse until the evening when the storm blasted in off the bay. Punishing the house and the whole city with its ferocity. Rey climbed into the bed Ben had lovingly made for her and lay awake listening to the old house creak and groan in the storm. The lightning flashed through the open window and the thunder boomed so loudly overhead it made Rey jump. She felt certain the old glass in the window would come crashing in at any moment as the storm lashed the house.

She grabbed her torch and made her way to Ben's room. "Ben?" she asked in a tiny voice, as she came through the open door. He sat bolt upright as though startled. "You OK?" he asked. "Umm, can I drag my bed in here with you? The storms freaking me out!" she said. "Come here," he ordered, motioning with his hand. When she came close he pulled her down into his bed, pulled the covers over them and wrapped his arms around her. Rey could see he was staring at the open door way. "What is it?" she asked. 

"I uh ... before you came in I thought I saw ... " he seemed quite uneasy and she could feel his body tensing against her. She sat up, "What did you see?" He pulled her back down and squeezed her to him. "Nothing," he back tracked, "just the storm playing tricks in an old house." he said." and he began to relax as Rey slipped her arm around his waist and pressed her face against his chest. 

After a while, Rey put her head on the pillow facing Ben, their faces just inches apart, being lit spasmodically by the lightning flashing through the window every few moments. "Ben uh ... did you pay my debt?" she asked him. "Yeah, I didn't think you would like jail." She had one hand on his chest and felt it rumble as he laughed. "God Ben, I feel so damn guilty. I mean, thank you, but that was a lot of money. It'll take me years to pay you back." 

He smiled, "I don't want you to pay me back." She brushed her finger tips over his cheek, and thought how beautiful he was, "I feel so bloody guilty." His voice became a soft deep purr, "Don't ever feel guilty Rey, you have done nothing to feel guilty about." Why did he have to talk to her like that, his voice so velvety and seductive? It was pure temptation and felt almost hypnotic in it's call to her.

She looked at his lips, so close to hers, felt his breath on her skin. "Why are you so good to me?" she asked. "You know why." he said softly, his voice breaking with emotion, and with that Rey lost any shred of resolve she had left to resist him. She touched her lips to his, feeling how soft they were, how inviting, and kissed him tenderly, felt his arms squeezing her against him. He made the slightest moan against her mouth and it sent her into a frenzy. Her kisses became urgent, she wanted him desperately and whatever guilt she might feel over this would have to wait because nothing would stop her now.

As her fingers laced through his thick black hair, Ben could think of nothing but her. The storm could blow the place to kingdom come and he wouldn't care. All that mattered now was her. She filled every sense he had, and he quickly found himself on top of her, kissing her throat, his big hands roaming over her as she sighed her approval and grasped at his shirt, trying to wrench it off him. 

He was suddenly kneeling and pulling his shirt off, and Rey was doing the same, wrenching her t-shirt off and pushing down her pyjama pants. He had waited so long he felt like he wanted to devour her. She moaned loudly as his lips touched every part of her and the feel of her soft skin against his lips was exquisite. He made her wait before he entered her, enjoying her mouth, her breasts, her sex, all of her, making her cum until she was gasping and begging him loudly to give her everything.

She cried out when he entered her, and he was sure if the storm wasn't thrashing around them loudly, she would be heard from the road. Her legs were around his waist and the way she moaned his name as he thrust deeply into her was the sweetest thing he had ever heard. When he finally groaned his relief, they were both left panting, hearts pounding in their chests at a million mile a minute. As he tried to catch his breath he pulled her to him as though he was afraid she might leave his bed if he didn't grab hold of her fast enough.

Rey was wrapped around him, and to her surprise, she felt no guilt. There was only Ben, he was everything to her, and she peppered his chest and throat with butterfly kisses as she listened to his breathing calm, and felt the heaving in his chest subside. The storm continued its violent rampage outside but Rey felt so warm and safe in his arms, so complete. She would not cling to the memory of a dead man any longer. Ben was beautiful and perfect and for the second time in her life she felt that deep love pouring out of her, all for him. 

As she drifted off to sleep he heard her say softly, "Never leave me Ben ... Please, never leave me." He kissed the top of her head and smiled, there was no way on earth he would leave this shining star that had crashed into his life. She belonged to him, and he to her, and now he understood what he had been waiting for all these years, he had been waiting for her.

The storm raged on, and while Rey slept in his arms, Ben lay awake. He was enjoying just laying there holding her, kissing her hair and feeling so blessed to have her. The lightning continued to flash and light up the room, and something caught his eye in the open doorway of the room. The same thing he had thought he saw earlier before Ray had come to his bed. It was a little girl, standing in the doorway, watching them. The girl from the photo. There was no doubting it this time, he had seen her clearly in her white dress. 

He peeled himself away from Rey and pulled on his pants to investigate, although what he thought he might find was beyond him. If this had been another house and a different little girl his blood might have run cold at seeing her, but somehow, he felt no dread, no fear of this girl. He grabbed a torch and went out into the hallway and saw nothing, so he walked to the top of the stairs. Shining his torch all around the entry hall he saw nothing unusual until the lightning flashed wildly and he saw her! 

She stood on the stairs, watching him, and every time the lightning flashed again he saw her plainly, but when he shone the torch at where she was, there was nothing there. She began to slowly walk towards him, and as she came closer he saw she was smiling so warmly at him, and like the dream he could not help but smile back at her. He found himself on the edge of the top of the stairs, moving closer to the girl, and as she came near she held out her hand.

He reached out to her, and as he was about to touch her ghostly fingers, Rey suddenly appeared on the landing, calling out, "BEN?" His head flicked around and he lost his footing on the top step, tumbling down to the bottom of the staircase, and ending up sprawled face up at the bottom of the stair. Rey screamed and ran to him, almost tripping herself in her rush to get to him. She began sobbing as she dropped to the ground by his side, the same spot where Kylo had died in her arms 142 years earlier.

Her heart felt as though it was about to stop as she saw history repeating itself. She smoothed the hair from his forehead as the tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed onto his. Her hand was on his chest as she repeated something she had said before, in a another time, "Please Ben, please don't leave me." She kissed his lips and whispered, "I love you." 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw something on Ben's chest, the hand of a girl. Rey looked up to see the hazy image of Margaret, kneeling beside him. Margaret smiled at Rey then turned to Ben with that same warm smile. Ben's eye's flickered half open and he smiled at the girl lovingly, "Margaret." he whispered, as though he knew her. Rey stared, wide eyed at Margaret, who's image faded to nothing before her eyes, and Rey's attention was straight back to Ben.

He was groaning and hoisting himself up on his elbows, "Shit! That hurt!" he exclaimed. "Oh my God Ben, don't move," Rey sobbed, "Thank God! I thought I'd lost you."  
He sat up rubbing his head and smiling, "It's OK Rey, I'm OK." Rey threw her arms around his neck and sobbed happy tears, "I thought I'd lost you ... " She pulled back to see him looking up the stairs. "Did you see the girl?" he asked. "Yes! Kneeling next to you. You called her Margaret!" Rey exclaimed excitedly. "What? No, I saw her at the top of the stairs." He said. Rey stared at him, it seemed they had both seen Margaret, but not at the same time.

Rey helped him to his feet, "Are you sure you didn't see her kneeling next to you?" He pulled her into his arms, "All I saw when I opened my eyes, was you." he said softly.

\---

In the years that followed the Ren house was restored to it's former glory. Ben and Rey took up residence there, and were eventually married and had children that ran the halls, and up and down the stairs, and through the gardens. They plonked heavily on the old black grand piano, and screamed and yelled and laughed and loved the house as much as their parents did under the watchful eye of their great uncle Kylo Ren's portrait from his rightful place in the music room. 

Ben never remembered calling Margaret by name, or seeing her kneeling beside him when he fell. On occasion he would have the dream where he walked hand in hand with Margaret, but he never saw the little girl in the house again. Ben and Rey did however name one of their precocious daughters Margaret, and the girl did bear quite a resemblance to her great grandmother and even had a laugh that was very similar to her too. Well, according to Rey anyway. Rey hoped that May Ren was looking down on them, enjoying all her great grandchildren. 

After all those years of being lonely and forgotten, the Ren house became the Solo house, and was once again full of love and laughter and the family both Rey and Ben had always wanted.


End file.
